


You Know That I'm No Good

by BookewyrmeWritesFic, Bow_Woww



Category: Yuri!!! on Ice (Anime)
Genre: Anxiety, Back on my crying during sex bullshit, Break Up, Divorce, Don't copy to another site, Endgame Victuuri, Eventual Smut, Explicit Sexual Content, F/M, Fluff, Friendship, Getting Together, Infidelity, M/M, Mutual Pining, Original Character(s), Self-Esteem Issues, Sexual Tension, Slow Burn, Supportive Katsuki Yuuri, Supportive Victor Nikiforov, Yuuri's Gay Awakening, all sketchy relationships are with ocs, not victuuri though, nothing sketchy between them, smut is only victuuri, yuuri thinks he's straight
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-30
Updated: 2019-09-07
Packaged: 2020-05-30 23:23:10
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 11
Words: 94,493
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19413586
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BookewyrmeWritesFic/pseuds/BookewyrmeWritesFic, https://archiveofourown.org/users/Bow_Woww/pseuds/Bow_Woww
Summary: Yuuri has it all. A great job that he loves, an amazing wife, and they're even contemplating having children. Until the day he finds out that it's all a lie.He doesn't confront his cheating spouse -- he needs to understand first. And while he could hire someone (probably should hire someone) he can't bear the idea of some stranger learning about his failings as a husband. So he does his own digging, and finds out that the Other Man has a partner of his own. A sweet, romantic, super hot partner. Who doesn't know what his fiance has been up to. Contacting this "Victor" person is probably a terrible idea.Agreeing to meet with Victor and form a friendship? Even worse.But falling in love? For real this time? Maybe it all will be worth it.





	1. Whose Bed Have Your Boots Been Under?

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you Droewyn for the prompt, although I did vary a bit from the original. I hope it's to everyone's liking! This is the longest fic I've written to date, and the first one with smut. Thank you BookewyrmeWritesFic for being my beta, and writing all the smut because I'm far too awkward. 
> 
> I'm about 40k (6 chapters) into this fic and have a bit more to go, so I'll be posting weekly until it's done. My next 4 weeks are pretty chill for school, so at the rate I'm going, there shouldn't be any delay. I will let all you lovely readers know if I'm running late! 
> 
> Updates will happen on Saturdays!

How could he have been so stupid? How could he have not known? People usually know when these things happen, don't they?

Yuuri clutched his smartphone in one hand, covering his mouth with the other to hide his hiccuping sobs. Anna was just down the hall in their dining room, and he didn't want her to catch him crying. If she caught him crying, he would have to explain the reason why, and he wasn't sure if he could do that. In fact, he wasn't sure if he would be able to face her ever again.

This was all his fault. If he hadn't looked at her phone, he never would have seen the texts. All he meant to do was open up Pokemon Go so he could trade a shinx to himself, he hadn't meant to snoop through her messages. However, it had been hard to resist doing a little digging when a text arrived from "Seb <3" saying "baby i miss u". He wanted to dismiss it as one of Anna's friends goofing around, but a graphic photo of another man's junk arrived a few seconds later. 

He couldn't help but open up the text chain at that point, because the feeling of lead in his stomach wouldn't subside until he knew for sure what was happening. Yuuri kept coming up with excuses: maybe she had a stalker, or it was a wrong number. Unfortunately, a string of text messages revealed months of secret meetings and sweet words between his wife and another man. This wasn't even the first explicit photo she had received. Or sent. Apparently, his wife was sending as much as she was receiving. 

It had almost made him sick, finding out what Anna had been up to. He probably should have been angry. He probably should have confronted her then and put an end to all of the lies. Instead, he found a photo that contained the man's face (and not his penis), sent it to himself, and deleted the text. Yuuri then recruited his best friend and former roommate to do some digging on Other Man. Phichit was good at that sort of thing. 

And Phichit had delivered. Less than a week later, Phichit had a full name: Sebastian Peterson. 29. Lawyer. Six-pack abs. Tattoos. Gigantic penis (Yuuri wished he didn't know that particular fact). 

Phichit had texted him in the middle of dinner, so Yuuri excused himself to take a "work call". He didn't know why he bothered with excuses, it wasn't like Anna even acknowledged that he was stepping out. Yuuri wasn't certain if she even noticed, since she'd been glued to her phone for the entire meal. Now at least he knew why.

That was how Yuuri found himself crying on the floor of their shared bedroom, while he heard his wife of 5 years laughing cheerfully at something in the dining room. When did his marriage fall apart? Sure, they had their issues just like any other couple, but he never imagined his wife would cheat on him.

Yuuri sobbed again, pulling his knees up to his chin. He glanced at his phone again through tear-filled eyes, barely able to comprehend his friend's words. 

**Phichit:** I found something else

**Yuuri:** What?

**Phichit:** Her mistress (what's the male version???) is engaged to some other guy 

**Phichit:** Damn, a really hot guy. 

**Phichit:** Like holy shit hot

**Yuuri:** So?

**Phichit:** So?!? Don't you want to know who the other person in this love triangle (rectangle? trapezoid?) is? 

**Yuuri:** I guess?

Yuuri's phone buzzed again, this time with a picture. He opened the attachment, and was suddenly staring at the most gorgeous man he'd ever seen. Blue eyes, crinkled with laughter, stunning silver hair, and a heart-shaped smile. Apparently, Anna's mystery man was engaged to a model, or an angel. 

**Yuuri:** Is he a model or something?

**Phichit:** No, a dog groomer. Or dog trainer. idk something with dogs 

**Yuuri:** Wow

**Phichit:** ikr? You should just run away with him instead lol

**Yuuri:** Great plan, except I'm straight.

**Phichit:** So is spaghetti, until it gets wet ;) 

**Yuuri:** Phichit. 

**Phichit:** Sorry

**Phichit:** This whole thing just sucks

**Yuuri** **:** That's an understatement

**Phichit:** :( 

**Phichit:** What are you going to do?

**Yuuri:** idk

**Phichit:** Well if I were you, I'd tell this guy what his fiance has been up to. He deserves to know 

Yuuri was about to respond, when he heard his name being called from the other room. Apparently, his wife had finally noticed that he was missing. It only took her 30 minutes. "Yuuri! Are you planning on coming back to dinner?" 

Putting his phone away, Yuuri stood up and padded over to their full length mirror. He looked like a mess. His eyes were red and his skin was blotchy, it was obvious he had been crying. He couldn't go out there like this. "Uh, not right this second!"

He didn't hear any kind of acknowledgement, but he did hear dishes clanking, so he assumed Anna had decided to clean up his un-finished meal. Yuuri sighed, and grabbed a few tissues to dab at his eyes and nose. He felt his phone buzz again, another text from Phichit. 

**Phichit:** I found his contact info, btw. So you could do that if you wanted

Yuuri contemplated the idea. On one hand, he was terrified of dragging someone else into this mess. What if he accused Yuuri of lying? What if he blamed Yuuri? What if he was mad Yuuri told him? Yuuri almost wished he was still living in ignorant bliss. Everything had seemed so perfect before. He and Anna were saving up to move out of their single bedroom apartment to buy a house in the suburbs and start a family. Things were going well at work for both of them, and he had just been promised a promotion in the next year. 

What could he have done so wrong to make his wife jump into another man's arms (and bed)? He had to know, and his gut was telling him that this other guy would be the key to finding out. 

**Yuuri:** Ok, sure. What's his name?

**Phichit:** Victor Nikiforov 

\------------------------

"How are you holding up?" Phichit eyed him with concern.

Yuuri shrugged, fighting to keep his face neutral, even though he just wanted to burst into tears and scream about how unfair it all was. "Ok, I guess." He took a sip of his shake to avoid making eye contact with his friend.

Phichit paused his probing to lick gouda fondue off his fingers, but Yuuri didn't miss the sharp look his friend threw at him. "Come on, Yuuri. I know you. I know you're not handling this as well as you say you are."

Shrugging again, Yuuri took a large bite of his burger. He hoped that Phichit would just leave him alone if he was too busy chewing to answer, but he knew his friend better than that. Phichit continued to glare at him, tapping his fingers impatiently on the table. He knew Phichit wouldn't let him escape talking about his feelings. Part of him really did want to tell Phichit what was going on in his head, but he really wasn't ready to face reality yet. He knew Phichit wouldn't like what he had decided. 

Yuuri had thought long and hard about his marriage, and realized that he wasn't ready to give up. He must have done something wrong to make Anna feel the need to cheat on him. Was he not romantic enough? Maybe if he figured out what he did wrong, he could fix their marriage and everything could go back to the way it was. 

"Have you contacted Victor yet?" Phichit threw a fry at Yuuri to get his attention. 

"Not yet," Yuuri responded, eyeing the fry as it bounced off his shoulder. "I've been trying to figure out what to say to him."

Phichit hummed thoughtfully. "How about, 'hey both of our partners are horrible, cheating jerks, want to bitch about them over a drink?'" He popped another fry in his mouth.

Frowning, Yuuri responded, "Anna's not a horrible jerk. She's just..." He trailed off, unsure of how to explain his complicated mess of feelings for his wife.

Phichit gaped at him. "Are you seriously defending her? Yuuri, she's been cheating on you and lying about it for months! She _is_ a horrible jerk!"

"It's complicated," Yuuri stated harshly. He was losing his patience with Phichit, who clearly had no understanding of what it was like to be in a long-term committed relationship. 

"Yuuri," Phichit said gently, "I know Anna was your first love, but that doesn't mean she's allowed to treat you like garbage."

"She's not treating me like garbage," Yuuri snapped. "We just have a few things to work out. Marriage isn't easy, you know. You wouldn't understand."

Phichit refused to back down, but his tone remained level. "I know I can't make any decisions for you, but I'm not going to just sit here quietly and watch you get treated like dirt by the person that should love you the most. You deserve better than someone who cheats and lies." 

Yuuri clenched his fists in his lap. "She's not...I'm not..." He burst into tears, the words dying on his tongue. Phichit immediately rushed around to his side of the table and pulled him into a tight hug.

"Shhh it's ok. Let it out." He rubbed Yuuri's back reassuringly, letting his friend sob into his shirt. Yuuri immediately curled into the younger man, burying his face in Phichit's chest. After a minute, Phichit handed Yuuri a pile of napkins so he could blow his nose. A few other customers in the restaurant were giving them weird looks, but Phichit just stared daggers at them until they turned away. 

"I don't know what I did wrong!" he gasped between sobs. "I thought everything was going so well. But she...she..." Yuuri clutched at Phichit's shirt harder. "I have to fix it," he hiccupped between another round of gasps and sobs. "There has to be something I can do better. She wouldn't have done it if I hadn't messed something up." 

Phichit's arms tightened around his friend. "You didn't do anything wrong. It's not your fault, ok?"

Yuuri shook his head. "No, I had to have done something wrong. Why else would she have..." He couldn't even say the words, he just cried harder. 

"Listen to me," Phichit said firmly, "Anna made this choice." Yuuri sobbed again at the mention of his wife's name. "I don't know why, and frankly, I don't care. If something was wrong, she could have talked to you. There's no excuse for her sneaking around behind your back. She hurt you, and that's not ok. There is no reason that will make it ok."

There was the sound of more sobs, followed by a few muffled words that Phichit couldn't quite make out. "What was that, bud?"

"I don't want my marriage to fall apart," Yuuri whispered sadly, tilting his face away from Phichit so his friend could understand him.

Phichit pulled out of the embrace, keeping his hands on Yuuri's shoulders and squeezing reassuringly. Yuuri sniffled, his eyes red and swollen. "I know," Phichit said sadly, "but sometimes people just aren't meant to be."

Yuuri made a non-committal noise, pulling away from Phichit and wiping his face on his sleeve. Avoiding Phichit's eyes, he began cleaning up their garbage in silence. He heard Phichit sigh, but his friend didn't say anything else. The two of them left the restaurant, walking side-by-side back toward Phichit's car. Yuuri got in the passenger seat, still not saying anything. Phichit kept glancing at him with concern in his eyes every time they stopped at a light. 

It wasn't until they pulled into Phichit's apartment complex that Yuuri decided to speak again. "Um, Phichit? Did you forget to drop me off?"

Phichit grinned, but the smile didn't quite reach his eyes. "Nope!" he said with forced cheer. "My best friend is having a really bad day and needs some TLC. And alcohol. You are going to come inside, watch trash television, and help me empty my liquor cabinet. I won't take no for an answer!"

Yuuri chuckled, his first genuine laugh since he had found that message on his wife's phone. "I guess I have no choice." 

Phichit looked triumphant, grabbing Yuuri by the arm and dragging him into the building. They reached Phichit's door, and the younger man shouted a quick greeting to his hamsters. Yuuri watched them snuffle around their cages while Phichit grabbed glasses from the kitchen and turned on his TV. 

Trying to be a good host, Phichit had already started pouring a glass of wine. Yuuri ignored the glass and grabbed the bottle out of Phichit's hands. He took a swig, while Phichit cheered. Yuuri tried not to drink too often, because he had a tendency to get a little wild when he was drunk, but this seemed like an acceptable exception to his usual rules. 

Plopping down on the couch, Yuuri took another swig of wine, trying to focus on whatever trashy show Phichit turned on. It looked like "My Strange Addiction", featuring an older gentleman who claimed to be addicted to line dancing. Yuuri wasn't really paying attention to what was going on. He just kept drinking, until he felt the couch cushions sag beside him.

"Ok, do you wanna slow down there a bit? You're going to finish all of my fancy Traverse City cherry wine before I even get to try some!"

"You have a glass," Yuuri reminded him. "Besides, you're the one that invited me up to drink."

"True," Phichit relented, "but I didn't mean for you to get shit-faced within 2 minutes of being here. Pace yourself, ok?" He gently extracted the bottle from Yuuri's hands, setting it on his coffee table. 

Yuuri grumbled in response, picking up the bottle as soon as Phichit set it down. Phichit threw his arms up in defeat. "Fine. But I'm not going to feel bad when you're puking in my toilet later." 

The two didn't speak for a while, only making occasional snarky comments about the TV show. At some point, Phichit started pouring shots of tequila, even pulling out salt and limes to do it right. After that, it was hard for either of them to keep their mouths shut. They babbled about everything and nothing in particular, but managed to avoid the subject of Yuuri's failing marriage. At least, at first.

"D'you know my friend Seung Gil?" Phichit slurred, sloshing his beer around. 

Yuuri nodded, the motion making him tip forward slightly. "Yup. The angry one."

"Mhm," Phichit confirmed, swaying in his seat. "Have you ever seen his dog?"

Yuuri gasped. "Noooooo. I love dogs. I wanna see the dog." 

Phichit pulled out his phone and scrolled through Facebook to find a picture. It took longer than it should have because he kept accidentally clicking things he didn't mean to. Eventually, he found what he was looking for and held the phone up to Yuuri's face, grinning triumphantly. 

"He's so cuuuuute!" Yuuri cooed at the picture of a well-groomed husky. "I wish I could have a dog. Anna hates dogs. What kind of person hates dogs?" Yuuri hiccupped. "Dog haters, that's who." 

Phichit nodded in understanding. "You've always liked dogs."

"I have!" Yuuri agreed enthusiastically. "But she said no. No dogs. Noooooo dogs." 

"So sad. You really like dogs." 

"I do!" Yuuri took another drink. “I want dogs,” he said firmly. 

Phichit patted his shoulder sympathetically. "Then you should get dogs."

"I caaaaaan't!" Yuuri wailed dramatically. "Anna says nooooo. No dogs."

"Marriage is about compromises! She should compromise and let you get a dog!" Phichit exclaimed, poking Yuuri's cheek and making them both giggle. 

Yuuri leaned back into the couch with a sigh, narrowly avoiding spilling the beer that he didn't remember opening. "I just wanna make her happy. I love her, y'know?"

"That doesn't mean you have to do stuff that makes you sad. You d'serve to be happy too." 

Yuuri was silent for a moment, then the floodgates broke. "I hate that she did this. How could she? I know stuff was'nt always perfect but we love each other! At least, I thought we did. But she just started messing around with someone else! I just wanna know why. Whyyyy?" He tried to lean into Phichit's shoulder, but lost his balance and ended up in his friend's lap instead. 

Phichit blinked down at him and patted his cheek a little harder than necessary. "Because she sucks! That's what I'm tryin' to tell you! And I'll tell her that too!"

"Nooooo don't do that." Yuuri swatted at his friend, his hand bouncing limply off the younger man's body. "I don't want to talk to her bout it yet." 

"Why not?" Phichit asked with a frown.

"Cuz I dunno how to fix it yet."

"You can't fix someone being a shitty person."

Yuuri swatted at Phichit again. "Don't call my wife a shitty person." He was trying to be angry, but his voice lacked the same malice as when he had snapped at Phichit at the restaurant. 

"But she is a shitty person! Would y'ever cheat on someone?" Phichit squished Yuuri's cheeks, temporarily derailing the conversation so they could both laugh. 

Eventually, Yuuri pushed Phichit's hands away so he could answer. "No, I wouldn't ever." 

Phichit nodded triumphantly. "Exactly!"

"Exactly, what?" 

"Exactly, you are too good for her!" 

Yuuri shook his head. "Noooo that's backwards."

"S'not." Phichit covered Yuuri's mouth so he couldn't make a rebuttal. In response, Yuuri licked his hand. Unfortunately for Yuuri, they had been friends long enough that Phichit didn't flinch. Eventually, once Yuuri stopped struggling, he released his friend. Yuuri just stared at him with a blank look. 

"D'you know who else has a cute dog?" Phichit started again.

Yuuri shook his head. "Nope."

"Victor."

Yuuri blinked at him. "Victor who?" 

"Niki-something. The hot one." 

"Oh. Angel-man. He has a dog?" 

Phichit nodded, then opened up his Instagram. "Yup. I stalked him," he stated proudly. "Look!" He tried to hold the phone over Yuuri, who was still laying in his lap, but he dropped it on Yuuri's face by mistake. Yuuri tried to deflect the falling object, but his reflexes were not even close.

Once Yuuri pulled the phone off his face and made his eyes focus, he squealed in delight. The dog on the screen was probably one of the cutest dogs he'd ever seen. She was a fluffy, chocolate colored, grinning poodle wearing a bow-tie collar. 

"I love her. She's the best dog I've ever seen ever. Poodles are my favorite!" 

"See, I told you that you should run away with mister mistress's man instead," Phichit slurred, stumbling over the alliteration. 

Yuuri didn't respond, staring lovingly at the poodle on Phichit's phone screen. "I should tell him how cute his dog is." 

"You should!" Phichit agreed, grinning wildly. Or at least, Yuuri thought he was grinning. His brain was having a hard time comprehending what Phichit's face was doing from his upside down angle. 

"Ok!" Yuuri dropped Phichit's phone and picked up his own, opening Instagram. He began crafting a message to Victor:

**katsuki-y:** _Dear mr dog man My name is Yuuri i neededd to tell u that yor dog is very cute. you need to no becus both of us are having a shitty dayy.u dont kno yet but my wife is cheating on me with ur fianceee. I am very sad and drunc. but your dogg made me so happy! U and yor dog are the cutest ever and you just needed to here that. heyy we shuld be sad together! tel me if u want to be sad withme but dont tell youre guy that you no yet. Im not redy to talk to my wife so dont tell yor fiance or she will find out_

_ps is ur hair actualy that color or is that fake????????_

\------------------------

Yuuri woke up on Phichit's bathroom floor with a splitting headache and the taste of bile in his mouth. His cheek was pressed into the cold tile, his face much closer to the toilet than he was comfortable with. He gingerly lifted himself into a sitting position, his head spinning as he moved. Yuuri groaned in pain, leaning over the toilet. The previous night was a blur. He remembered a lot of crying, and something about dogs, but not much else. And tequila. He definitely remembered Phichit bringing out the tequila. 

Groaning again, Yuuri stood up slowly, squeezing his eyes shut to avoid the pain from the bright light of the bathroom window. He made his way out of the bathroom, leaning on the wall and peeking his eyes open only enough to see where he was going. The smell of breakfast food was filling the small apartment, making Yuuri's stomach clench painfully. He contemplated returning to hide in the bathroom, but he knew Phichit would come get him soon anyway, if the daylight was any indication of how late it was.

Phichit was humming a song from his favorite musical "The King and the Skater", bouncing back and forth between a few pans on the stove. As soon as he noticed Yuuri approaching, he smiled brightly. "Gooooood morning! I made pancakes!" 

Yuuri grumbled something unintelligible, plopping down in a chair at the table and burying his face in his hands. He had forgotten that Phichit never got hungover. It didn't matter how much they drank, Phichit would always be chipper the next morning and never nauseous.

"Come on, Yuuri, you need to eat something! Here," Yuuri heard the sound of a glass being set next to his head, "drink some water and take some Aspirin while I finish breakfast." 

He pawed around blindly for the glass and the pill, almost knocking them over in the process. Once he had both in his hands, Yuuri reluctantly cracked his eyes open again. He took the pill and downed as much water as he could, before his stomach protested. Yuuri knew he was in for a miserable day.

Conversely, Phichit looked refreshed and ready for the day. He was balancing two plates, one full of an assortment of breakfast foods, the other topped with just pancakes. Phichit set the pancakes in front of Yuuri, and the breakfast medley in his own spot. He offered a set of silverware to Yuuri, who took them reluctantly and stared miserably at the pancakes. 

"I'm not letting you leave this table until you eat something," Phichit said through a mouthful of scrambled eggs. 

Yuuri sighed, cutting a small piece of his breakfast. "Ok, _mom_ ," Yuuri teased. He swallowed down the first bite and didn't become violently ill, so that seemed like a win.

"So," Phichit took a bite of bacon, "are we gonna talk about what happened last night?"

With a shrug, Yuuri took another small bite of his pancakes. "What is there to talk about?"

"Oh, I don't know," Phichit started to lecture, "maybe how you felt the need to get blackout drunk because your wife is cheating on you?"

Yuuri winced. He had really put everything out there, hadn't he? "Er...I think I probably said all that I needed to say last night."

"So, what are you going to do?"

"The same thing I was going to do before," Yuuri insisted. 

"Which is...?" Phichit asked suspiciously. 

"Try to fix my marriage." 

Phichit pinched the bridge of his nose, letting out an exasperated sigh. "Seriously, Yuuri? You were so miserable last night." He shook his head disapprovingly. "You never drink this much!" 

"Well, I was upset. I think I'm allowed to be upset." 

"Of course you are, I'd be worried if you weren't," Phichit remarked. "But I'm worried. You just don't seem to want to hold Anna accountable for anything. I'm scared you're going to get hurt more than you already have."

Considering how much Yuuri was hurting already, that seemed impossible. But he didn't want to tell Phichit that and make him worry even more, so he just forced himself to take another bite of his pancakes. Phichit must have read something concerning in Yuuri's expression, because he reached across the table and squeezed Yuuri's hand. 

"You're my best friend, and I love you. I will stand by you no matter what you decide, but," he squeezed Yuuri's hand harder, "please don't take the blame for this. If you want to stay with Anna, that's your call. But please, don't just stay with her because you feel like you don't deserve any better. Because that's not true. You deserve so much better than this, and it makes me sad to think that you don't believe that. If you are going to stay with Anna, you need to hold her accountable for this, and you need to decide if you're ok continuing your marriage knowing what she's done, and what she will probably do again. Ok?" 

Yuuri stared at his plate and nodded. He knew if he looked at Phichit's concerned face he would just start bawling again. He felt sick, and he wasn't sure if it was because of the hangover, or his friend's words. Either way, he knew he wouldn't be able to eat anymore. Pulling his hand out of Phichit's grasp, he picked up his plate to clean up his mess. Phichit sighed, then Yuuri heard the chair move. 

"I'll take care of it. I have an extra toothbrush in the bathroom cabinet if you want to brush your teeth while I clean up. Then I can take you home." He gently took the plate from Yuuri's hands, nudging him back toward the bathroom.

Yuuri nodded gratefully, then went to clean himself up. After he had brushed his teeth and splashed water on his face, he noticed his phone still laying on the bathroom floor. He picked it up, and winced at the number of concerned texts and missed calls from Anna. He hadn't even told his wife he wasn't coming home. What kind of shit husband was he? No wonder she was cheating on him.

**Yuuri:** I'm so sorry! I went to Phichit's last night and we were drinking and lost track of time and I fell asleep. I'll be home in about 30 minutes. 

**Yuuri:** I'm sorry. 

The response came almost instantly.

**Anna** : Jesus I've been so worried! 

**Anna:** You just didn't come home last night and I had no idea what happened to you

**Anna** : I was so worried I called your parents to see if they'd heard from you. You need to tell them you're ok we've all been terrified wondering where you were. I was getting ready to call the police. 

Yuuri looked through his missed call log, noting that he had calls and voicemails from his parents and his sister. Not only had he worried his wife, he had worried his family too. 

**Yuuri** : I'm really, really sorry. I never meant to worry you.

**Anna:** I know. I'm just glad you're ok.

**Anna** : But I'm still pissed. 

**Yuuri** : Understandable. 

**Anna:** Call your mom. She's probably freaking out.

**Yuuri:** I will. Thanks. See you at home?

The three dots indicating that Anna was typing appeared and disappeared a few times before a response was sent. 

**Anna** : Later. I'm going out. 

**Yuuri:** Where?

**Anna** : You didn't tell me you were staying at Phichit's but I have to tell you where I am every second of the day?

**Yuuri** : No, I didn't mean it like that!

**Yuuri** : I'm sorry. 

**Anna** : I know… I didn’t mean to snap at you. I’ve just been really stressed out not knowing where you were. 

**Anna** : Like I said, I'm pissed. Now that I know you're alright, I need a chance to breathe, ok? 

**Yuuri:** Ok. 

**Yuuri** : Sorry.

**Yuuri** : I love you. 

Yuuri waited for a response, but it never came. With a sigh, he got to work texting his family, letting them know he was alright. His mother wanted to call him, but he was worried that if he started talking to her, everything would come spilling out. He promised to call home later.

Just as Yuuri went to put his phone away, he noticed he had an Instagram notification. That was odd, because he really wasn't very active on Instagram. Confused, Yuuri opened up the app. He had a message from someone named v-nikiforov. 

_Shit!_

He had forgotten that he contacted Victor last night. Oh god. He had drunkenly rambled at him about his dog, and told him that his fiance was cheating on him. The man probably thought Yuuri was crazy. 

"Phichit!" Yuuri sprinted out of the bathroom, his head and stomach protesting the movement. 

"What's wrong?!" Phichit met him in the living room with a panicked expression.

Yuuri groaned. "I forgot I contacted Victor last night! He sent me a response." 

Phichit looked miffed for a moment, probably because Yuuri made him briefly panic, but then a wide grin stretched across his face. "I forgot about that too! What did he say?"

"I haven't looked yet," Yuuri admitted. 

Phichit made an annoyed sound, dragging him over to the couch. "Well, read it then! Don't keep me in suspense!" 

Holding his breath, Yuuri opened up the message, holding his phone so both he and Phichit could read. 

**v-nikiforov:** _Hello, Yuuri. Wow, first of all, Makkachin and I are very appreciative of your compliments! She is indeed the best dog in the world, and she woofed very excitedly when I told her you think we are cute!_

_In regards to the second part of your message, I'm not really sure what to say. To be honest, I've suspected for a while that Sebastian has been cheating on me, but I didn't have any proof. That being said, I don't know you, and you're obviously very inebriated right now so I don't know if I can trust what you're saying. Message me back when you're sober and we can chat more. I'm really sorry to hear about your wife. No one deserves to go through that._

_And yes, this is my natural hair color_

"You called him cute? Damn Yuuri!" 

Yuuri winced. "I was really drunk, ok?"

Phichit waggled his eyebrows. "So, you do think he's cute?"

Yuuri gave Phichit a sharp look. "Objectively speaking, he's a good looking guy. Very...symmetrical. Plus," he added, "everyone seems cuter when they have a dog. Just because I'm not into guys doesn't mean I'm blind." 

Phichit rolled his eyes. "Sure," he said sarcastically. Shaking his head, Phichit continued, "of all the words you could have used, you went with 'symmetrical'?" He said the word with air quotations. "You should look at this guy's beach photos and tell me if 'symmetrical' is still the first word that comes to mind." 

"Unlike you, I'm not going to stalk him," Yuuri stated firmly, while Phichit just shrugged. He started forming a response:

**katsuki-y:** _I am so so sorry! I was really upset and I drank too much last night. I swear I don't usually get drunk like that. I'm really sorry if I made you uncomfortable, and I'm sorry for just blurting out the stuff about my wife and your fiance._

_Long story short, my friend is really good at finding people (he's not as creepy as that makes him sound) so I showed him a picture of your fiance that was sent to my wife. My friend found him, and then you. I just figured you deserved to know what was going on._

_I totally understand you being skeptical! I didn't want to believe it myself. I was holding my wife's phone when she got a text from someone named "Seb <3". And a picture. Of his dick. I did some snooping and found that they've been meeting and sending explicit photos for months now. I'll attach the picture I used to find him (don't worry, it's not one of the dick pics). _

_I'm not really ready to confront my wife yet, which is why I asked you not to tell your fiance that you knew. If you could continue to keep it a secret for now, I would really appreciate it._

Feeling satisfied with his response, Yuuri closed the app and signaled to Phichit that he was ready to go. Truthfully, he didn't really want to go home and sit in their empty apartment while Anna was out doing...whatever. The alternative, however, was continuing to sulk at Phichit's apartment and feel like a burden. 

After a goodbye kiss was blown to each hamster, the friends made their way out to Phichit's car. Yuuri felt his mood drop with each step closer to the vehicle. He was not looking forward to the inevitable conversation he would need to have with his wife tonight. Whether or not he decided to confront her, he owed her an explanation after making her worry so much.

A buzz from Yuuri's phone interrupted his brooding. Victor had replied.

**v-nikiforov:** _You didn't make me uncomfortable or anything, I thought it was sweet of you to say! And I appreciate you telling me what was going on. I always hate when I hear about these things happening and the people who were cheated on blame each other. Our partners made this shitty choice, not us._

_That's definitely Sebastian. Fuck. I keep trying to come up with some other explanation, like maybe someone else was using a picture of him. But with how he's been acting lately... I'm sorry, it's not that I don't believe you, I just don't want to believe that he would do that. I just need a bit of time to think about some things. Maybe I can get ahold of his phone. In the mean time though, I promise I won't say anything to him. I don't want to make things harder for you at home._

**katsuki-y:** _Thank you for understanding. I really am sorry about everything. Take all the time you need._

Yuuri sighed and leaned back into the headrest. At least Victor seemed kind. It would have been so much worse if Victor hadn't been so understanding. Poor guy, he seemed like he was too nice to deserve this. 

Phichit glanced at him as they stopped at a red light. "What?" 

"Just...everything. This is a lot." That was an understatement. He was sad, confused, and horribly hungover. 

Phichit nodded as the light turned green. "That is true. Was that Anna just now?"

Yuuri shook his head, even though Phichit had his eyes on the road. "No. It was Victor." 

Phichit hummed thoughtfully. "I see. And what did Victor have to say?"

"He just wanted some time to think, I did kind of spring all this on him out of the blue. I'm lucky he didn't just laugh at me and tell his fiance what I said."

"He's not going to confront his fiance?"

"Not yet," Yuuri confirmed. "I asked him to wait. If he tells Sebastian, he might tell Anna. And I'm not ready for that."

Phichit hummed again. "I see. That was nice of him." 

With a nod, Yuuri agreed, "yeah. He seems nice." 

Phichit pulled into Yuuri's apartment complex, parking in front of his building. He opened his mouth to say something, then shut it and leaned over to hug his friend. The angle was a little awkward since they were both still buckled in, but Yuuri appreciated the gesture. 

"Take care, alright? Call me if you need anything, anything at all. You can always stay with me." Phichit pulled back from the hug, smiling sadly. 

"I know, thanks." He returned the smile, unbuckling his seatbelt. Phichit waved one more time as Yuuri stepped out of the car, and Yuuri returned the gesture. His friend waited until Yuuri let himself into the building, then Yuuri heard the car drive away. 

Once he was alone, he started to break down again. Yuuri managed to make it into his apartment before the sobs started. He thought about curling up in bed and napping, but he couldn't stand the idea of being in their bed right now. Instead, he plopped down on the couch, face down, and cried himself to sleep.

\------------------------

The sound of the door closing woke Yuuri from his nap. He sat up groggily, pushing his glasses aside so he could rub the sleep from his eyes. He wasn't certain how much time had passed, but it had been light outside when he fell asleep and now the sun was just starting to dip below the horizon. There was a soft, warm glow spilling in from the windows and illuminating the apartment in a gentle light. 

Anna flicked the light on, blinking in surprise when she noticed Yuuri sitting on the couch. She stared at him for a moment, but didn't say anything before walking into the kitchen. Yuuri watched her pull a box of leftovers out of a plastic bag and set it in their fridge. Her long, dark hair was pulled into a neat bun, and she was wearing a navy pullover that he had never seen before. She had makeup on too, which was fairly unusual for her.

"You look nice," Yuuri remarked. 

Anna didn't respond, rearranging something in the fridge so she could fit a second container. She very deliberately kept her eyes in front of her and did not turn to look at her husband. Yuuri sighed, rising from the couch to meet his wife in the kitchen. He leaned on the counter, trying to leave space between them. Anna didn't like to feel suffocated when they were arguing, it only made her more upset. 

"I'm sorry," Yuuri whispered. He knew Anna heard him because she stopped rearranging things and shut the fridge door, slightly harder than necessary. Yuuri tried, and failed, not to flinch at the noise. 

"I was really worried, you know," she said sternly, fixing him with a glare. 

Yuuri hung his head. "I'm so sorry! Phichit and I got carried away and I just fell asleep at his place. I didn't mean to worry you." 

Anna glared at him for a few more moments, before sighing. "I know. You wouldn't make me worry on purpose."

Yuuri hoped her admission meant she had forgiven him. He opened his arms, offering a hug. She just shook her head, turning away toward their bedroom. Anna had been avoiding physical affection for a while, so he wasn't surprised. She would turn away when he went to kiss her goodbye, pull out of hugs, and outright snap at him on occasion. Yuuri had assumed it was because she was stressed, but now he had other suspicions. It hurt to know that she must be getting her fill of affection from her other lover.

Just thinking about it made Yuuri's chest hurt. He had to figure out what he had done wrong fast, before it was too late to fix everything. Yuuri padded after her, stopping in the doorway.

She glanced back at him and let out another sigh. "Since when do you get so drunk that you pass out, anyway?"

Yuuri froze, trying to come up with a good excuse. "Um...Phichit had a hard day. The guy he had been seeing dumped him," Yuuri lied. Phichit wasn't currently dating, and anyway, he was almost always the one to do the dumping. 

Anna looked like she didn't believe him. "You've always been an awful liar." She pulled her sweater over her head, and it briefly pulled her undershirt up with it. Yuuri held back tears as he noticed a fresh set of hickeys on her lower stomach. 

"I can't help you if you don't tell me what's wrong. We're supposed to be able to tell each other everything." She tossed the sweater into the dirty laundry basket.

Yuuri almost wanted to laugh at the irony, but he forced the feeling down. "We are," he agreed, more harshly than he meant to.

Anna gave him a confused look, before heading into the bathroom. The door shut, and Yuuri heard the lock click. The shower started shortly after. She had been doing this too, lately. They used to leave the door open for each other while the other showered. They were married, and only had one bathroom anyway, so it always made sense. Yuuri had been late the first day he tried to get into the bathroom to get ready for work and found it locked. At first, he thought it had been locked by mistake. When the door remained locked every time after that when Anna went to shower, he realized it was a permanent change. He thought about asking, but he figured his wife would bring it up with him if something was wrong. 

_I wonder how many hickeys she's been hiding?_

Yuuri rubbed his temple, groaning. The hangover symptoms had lessened since his nap, but his stomach still felt twisted in a knot. He didn't know if it was from the hangover, or from seeing proof of his wife's infidelity firsthand.

He wasn't going to sit there and mope while his wife washed the evidence of her tryst off of her. He wasn't that pathetic. Yuuri made his way back to the couch, turning on the TV, even though he wasn't paying attention to what was on. His mind was too busy trying to process the fact that Anna had obviously been out with Other Man. How had he missed the signs before? 

Yuuri's phone buzzed, and he noticed another message from Victor.

**v-nikiforov:** _Well, you can say "I told you so". I managed to get ahold of Sebastian's phone for a few minutes and...well, you know. I'm assuming Anna is your wife? Oh god I hope that's your wife. I don't want to think about how messy this is going to get if there is another other woman._

_And by the way, stop apologizing, none of this is your fault! You don't need to feel bad because our partners turned out to be cheating assholes._

Yuuri pressed down the anger that flared up at Victor calling his wife an "asshole". He couldn't be too mad, though, because Victor didn't know her. This wasn't exactly a good first impression. 

**katsuki-y:** _Yeah, that's her. Sorry._

**katsuki-y:** _Shit. I swear I didn't mean to say sorry again. Sorry._

**katsuki-y:** _Fuck. Ok I'm not going to send another message with an apology, I swear. I just keep getting frazzled and hitting send without thinking._

**v-nikiforov:** _Hah, don't worry about it. So, what now?_

**katsuki-y:** _I don't know. I was hoping you would know what to do._

**v-nikiforov:** _Well, I have a certain Carrie Underwood song that I would like to reenact. I have a baseball bat we could share ;)_

**katsuki-y:** _No!!! I'm still not ready for my wife to know that I know._

**v-nikiforov:** _I was kidding, Yuuri. I won't confront Sebastian until you're ready. But can I ask why you're waiting? It's taking all of my willpower not to tell Sebastian off, I can't imagine sitting on this._

**katsuki-y:** _It's complicated._

**v-nikiforov:** _Meaning, you don't want to talk to a complete stranger about it._

**v-nikiforov:** _Hey, here's an idea: let's meet up! And then we won't be complete strangers anymore. We can come up with a battle plan._

Yuuri paused. Meeting the fiance of the man his wife was cheating on him with seemed like a bad idea. He probably shouldn't make this more complicated by getting to know Victor but...who else would be able to understand what he was going through? And hadn't he wanted to try to find answers via the other man? 

**katsuki-y:** _Yeah ok, let's meet._


	2. Your Cheatin' Heart

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Yuuri and Victor meet, and find that they get along very well.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wow, I've been totally blown away by all your responses! I'm so happy you're all enjoying this fic, I've really been enjoying writing it. You'll notice that there is now a chapter count, and that's because I finished the outline and only have a few chapters left to write! Final word count will probably be somewhere around 80k, I think.

He and Victor had agreed to meet at HopCat after they were both done with work the following day. Yuuri wasn't keen on drinking again, but he had a feeling that the impending conversation might change his mind. Plus, those fries could fix _almost_ any woe. Once he was seated and sipping on his tap water, he became incredibly nervous about what he was doing. He jiggled his leg anxiously, waiting for Victor to arrive. 

It was easy to spot the other man when he entered the restaurant. Victor's pictures really didn't do him justice; he was stunning. _Objectively speaking. Totally objectively._ Victor was looking around for him, but it occurred to Yuuri that he probably didn't know what he looked like. Yuuri's face wasn't actually in any of his Instagram pictures. He really only ever posted pictures of other people, dogs, or places. 

Yuuri waved awkwardly, and Victor smiled and made his way over to the table. "Are you Yuuri?" he asked as he approached. God, Victor was even prettier up close.

_Wait, what?_

Yuuri brushed the thought off, then offered his hand to the other man. "Yeah. Yuuri Katsuki." They shook hands. 

"Victor Nikiforov," he replied before sitting down. 

They sat in awkward silence, skimming over the menu to avoid speaking. The waiter came by to take their orders, clearly eyeing Victor. Not that Yuuri could blame him. If Yuuri wasn't straight (totally, utterly, super straight) Victor would definitely be his type. 

"I'll take the Damn Good Fish Sandwich and...?" Victor motioned to Yuuri to order. 

"Oh. Um, the grilled cheese, please?" 

"And you can put it on my bill," Victor insisted. 

Yuuri tried to protest, but the waiter was already walking away. "You don't have to do that." 

Victor shook his head. "It's the least I can do. I really appreciate you keeping me in the loop, and meeting with me." 

He wanted to insist, but the other man's tone seemed very final, so he decided to let it go. "Well, thank you. Let me at least buy you a drink then." 

"I suppose that's fair," Victor replied with a shrug. 

Yuuri made a mental note to have Victor's drink put on his tab once the waiter came back. "So..." he said awkwardly.

"So...I guess we should start with the basics." Victor took a sip of his drink. "Tell me about yourself?"

"Oh, sure. Well," Yuuri started, "I'm 25, a college graduate, and I work for a tech company here in the city. Uh...there's really not much to know about me. I'm not very interesting," he said with a shrug. 

Victor huffed. "I doubt that. Didn't I see on your Instagram that you like to dance? That's really interesting!" 

Yuuri felt himself blush. "You looked at my Instagram?"

"Of course!" Victor said cheerfully. "I wanted to make sure I wasn't going to meet with a serial killer or something. You had a lot of pictures of dogs, so I figured you were ok."

"Oh. Right." Yuuri rubbed the back of his neck uncomfortably. "Yeah, I dance, but I'm not very good. I started ballet when I was really young and picked up a few other styles throughout my life. I almost wanted to be a dancer, I even minored in it." 

"You must be good if you've been doing it for so long."

Yuuri just shrugged again. "I'm just ok." 

Victor mirrored his shrug. "If you say so, but I have a feeling you're selling yourself short." 

"Oh, um, thanks?" It felt like he was blushing harder, which was ridiculous. Victor was being nice, and it wasn't like he'd never had someone be nice to him before. "What about you?"

"You already know the most important thing about me," Victor said with a heart-shaped smile. It was very endearing. 

"Which is...?" 

Victor pulled out his phone and showed Yuuri his background. It was the same adorable poodle he had seen on Instagram. "My darling, Makkachin!" 

Yuuri cooed at the picture. "I wasn't kidding when I said I thought she was cute! Poodles are my favorite." 

"Aren't they the best?" 

"They really are. And she's extra cute!" 

Looking pleased at Yuuri's analysis, Victor put his phone away. "Do you have a dog?"

"No," Yuuri lamented. "Anna, my wife, doesn't like dogs."

Victor gasped. "Who doesn't like dogs?!" He sounded affronted. 

Yuuri couldn't help but chuckle at the expression on Victor's face. He looked like he had been personally offended by Anna's anti-dog opinion. Their banter was briefly interrupted by their food being dropped off at the table. They took a short break to dig in.

"So," Yuuri picked up the conversation. "What else is there to know about you besides your adorable dog?" 

"Well, I'm 28, and I own a dog boarding, grooming, and training business called Happy Tails. I have a younger brother, who is also named Yuri, and I hate olives." 

"Ah, that last one will be good to know," Yuuri joked. Victor chuckled in response. When they were goofing around like this it was hard to remember why they were meeting in the first place. "Are you originally from Detroit, then?"

Victor shook his head. "No, my family lives in Marquette. My grandparents moved here from Russia, and apparently decided they didn't want to leave the cold. How about you?" 

"My family lives near Ann Arbor. They own a small chain of hotels." Yuuri paused to eat a fry. "I can't believe you're a Yooper. You don't sound like it." 

"Most of my family speaks Russian at home so I think I have more of a Russian accent than a Yooper accent, if anything." He stole a fry from Yuuri's plate, even though he had his own. Yuuri debated putting a fork through his hand for that. "Do you get to travel to exciting places, then?"

Yuuri shook his head, abandoning his thoughts of retribution. "They only own hotels in the midwest, so not really. Unless you count Wisconsin as 'exciting'." 

Victor laughed. "No, not particularly." 

"The UP is beautiful though. What was it like living up there?" 

"Much quieter." Victor took another bite of his sandwich. "I miss it sometimes. The whole reason I wanted to work with dogs was because of all the time I got to spend with mushers up there." 

"Mushers? Like dog sledding?" 

"Yeah. There's a couple of pretty big races up there, and in Wisconsin and Minnesota, which aren't too far. My uncle Yakov has a kennel and runs his dogs every winter and in some of the dryland races too. I used to handle for him, and he even let me run a team in the Junior Iditarod when I was young. My parents thought I was going to be a musher and work in my uncle's kennel, so they were shocked when I came home with a poodle puppy." 

"Wow." Yuuri was fascinated. "That's incredible."

Victor looked delighted. "Thank you, Yuuri."

The waiter came with the bills, and Yuuri realized that he and Victor had spent the entire meal chatting and getting to know each other. They hadn't talked about the thing that had brought them together yet. Victor seemed to realize it too, as he was giving Yuuri a sad look. 

"So..." Yuuri started.

"So..." Victor repeated. 

"I don't think we can avoid the elephant in the room any longer, Victor." 

Victor sighed. "No, I don't suppose we can."

"I pretty much told you everything I know. Except..." He took a deep breath to hold back the tears. Victor noticed that he was upset and reached over to pat his arm reassuringly. "Except, yesterday, she came home and I saw hickeys all over her stomach when she accidentally lifted up her shirt." 

"I'm very sorry to hear that." 

"Hey," Yuuri said teasingly, "weren't you the one telling me not to apologize for things that aren't my fault? Same goes for you." 

Victor chuckled. "Fair." He cleared his throat. "I suppose I can give you a run down on what I know on my end." He took another sip of his drink. "Seb has been acting kind of distant for a few months. He's been more irritable, and more secretive. He stopped wanting to be intimate with me." Yuuri blushed at that detail. "And he seemed obsessed with his phone. I tried to pick it up when it was ringing once and he yelled at me. It was unlike him, so that's when I really got suspicious. But when I tried to confront him, he said I was just being paranoid. I was starting to believe it was all in my head, until you messaged me and I finally got to look at his phone." 

The description Victor was giving was uncomfortably familiar. Anna had been distant as well, and overly protective of her phone. He was honestly surprised he had gotten ahold of it in the first place. "What did you find that made you change your mind?"

"Probably the same thing you did. A lot of pictures of his dick being sent to someone named 'Anna'. Dirty talk. Plans to meet up. Promises to keep a secret from their partners." 

Even though Yuuri knew those details already, it still hurt to hear about them. In fact, it was somehow even worse to hear Victor talking about them. Something about seeing the other man so sad just pulled at Yuuri's heartstrings. It must be because they had so much in common. 

"Yeah, that's pretty much what I saw," Yuuri confirmed. 

Victor nodded. "I figured. So," he shifted the conversation, "what do we do about it? What is it that you are waiting for?" 

This was the part he wasn't ready to talk about. "I just...I just want to know what I did wrong."

Victor blinked at him, confused. "What do you mean?"

"I mean, I want to know why. And I want to know how to fix it."

"Fix it?"

"Yeah. Whatever I did to push her away, I want to make it better. I want things to go back to the way they were before."

"Yuuri," Victor said sadly, "things won't ever go back to the way they were before. Trust me. I've been through this before."

"You have?" 

"Yeah. Which is why I was so surprised that Seb would do this to me. He knows how bad I was hurt. He was there when it happened." 

"Oh. Victor, I'm so sorry to hear. That's awful."

"Thanks," Victor said genuinely. "And by the way, none of this is your fault. I know it can feel like it is, but it's not true. You didn't cause this. You deserve better than this."

"You barely know me, how can you say that?" Yuuri frantically wiped away the tears that were forming in his eyes. 

"I can tell you're a good person. It's the dog thing, remember?" Victor said lightly, trying to make Yuuri feel better.

It worked, a bit. Yuuri chuckled. "Regardless, I'm not ready to give up on my marriage yet."

Victor's expression was unreadable. "Yuuri, listen to me. You can't fight for someone that isn't willing to fight for you." 

"How do you know that she won't?" He snapped. 

Victor held his hands up in surrender. "I don't know her, so I guess I don't know for sure. But I've been there. I've made the excuses, and bent over backwards for someone who would never do the same for me. I would hate to see you go through that." 

"I'll keep that in mind," Yuuri said shortly. He was getting tired of other people trying to throw away 5 years of marriage like it was nothing. How could they possibly know what was going on with him and Anna? Just because Victor had been treated poorly by a cheating partner didn't mean Anna would do the same. They were different. They were each other's first loves, that had to count for something. He wouldn't just let her go. He couldn't. 

The silence became awkward for the first time since they started their meals. Finally, Victor reached out and patted his arm again. "I'm sorry if I crossed a line. I know we don't really know each other very well."

Yuuri felt the remaining anger leave him. Victor was just trying to look out for him, because he was a nice guy. "It's alright. I really do appreciate the concern. Everything is just..."

"Complicated?" Victor offered.

"Yeah. Complicated." 

Victor nodded. "It really is. So," he carefully changed the subject again. "What happens with us?"

"Us?" Yuuri didn't know where he was going with this.

"Yeah. Do we keep meeting? Reporting to each other? What do you want me to be to you, Yuuri?" 

Yuuri blinked at him. "I don't want you to be anything but yourself, Victor." The older man seemed surprised by that answer. "And as for what to do next...I wouldn't mind staying in contact. If that's ok with you?"

Victor smiled. "I'd like that. I think I need someone to talk to about this, or I'll go insane. My best friend knows, but I can't exactly tell my family yet. They're still planning our wedding." 

"Agreed. I don't know how or when I'm going to tell my family."

"We'll cross that bridge when we come to it," Victor stated wisely. "In the meantime," he stood up, offering his hand again, "it was a pleasure to meet you, Yuuri Katsuki. I just wish the circumstances had been different." 

Yuuri accepted the outstretched hand and squeezed. "The pleasure was all mine, Victor Nikiforov." 

\------------------------

**Victor** : Good morning, Yuuri!

**Victor** : How are you holding up?

**Yuuri** : Not great :(

**Victor** : :(

**Victor** : What happened?

**Yuuri** : I've just been trying to reach out to Anna a little bit. Let her know that I still care, you know? 

**Yuuri** : I made her breakfast like I used to and she just walked out. Said she was meeting a "friend" for breakfast.

**Victor** : Well, I guess that explains where Seb went.

**Victor** : I'm sorry, Yuuri. Do you want to get breakfast together, then? Since we've both been abandoned? 

**Yuuri** : Are you sure you're not too busy?

**Victor** : I'll never be too busy for you, I promise! 

**Victor** : Text me your address. I'll come pick you up.

**Yuuri** : Where are we going?

**Victor** : It's a surprise ;) 

Yuuri chuckled at Victor's response. They had been exchanging texts and meeting up for about two weeks now, and talking to Victor never failed to brighten his day. Victor had started texting him every morning after Yuuri confessed that mornings were often the hardest for him, since his and Anna's old morning routines had been discarded. They used to trade off making breakfast for each other before work. One of them would rise slightly earlier than the other and have breakfast waiting with a smile and a kiss. 

Anna's favorite was always pancakes with chocolate chip smiles, so Yuuri thought he would try to surprise her by restarting their old tradition. She didn’t even notice, running out the door and grabbing her keys, claiming she was late meeting a "friend" for brunch. Yuuri had been left standing there staring longingly after her, and it was only Victor's text that had pulled him out of his funk.

Smiling fondly, Yuuri quickly cleaned up the mess he had made, then retreated to the couch to wait for Victor. He didn't have to wait long before his phone buzzed with Victor's arrival text. Yuuri had to force himself not to run out to Victor's car like an overly excited child. He purposefully made himself walk slowly and casually.

It was easy to spot Victor, who was leaning out his window and waving. Yuuri grinned, and let himself into the passenger seat. "Thanks for picking me up," Yuuri said once he had buckled himself in. 

"No problem," Victor responded brightly. "It's better than both of us moping at home, right?"

"Agreed." Yuuri looked out the window for a few minutes, enjoying the passing scenery and the sound of Victor humming along to a pop song on the radio. Since their first meeting, conversation had flowed easily between them, and Yuuri had been surprised to find that the silences were comfortable. Even though the circumstances that brought them together were horrible, Yuuri was glad that Victor was his friend. 

Yuuri turned back to Victor, studying him. Even though he was humming cheerfully, Yuuri could see the sadness and pain in his eyes. "Are you doing ok? This morning didn't exactly start off great for either of us."

Victor's grip on the wheel tightened. "It hurt. This is a day off for both of us, so we usually cuddle in bed for hours, then get up and walk Makka around the park together. Seb wasn't even there when I woke up." 

Yuuri's heart sank. "Oh, Victor. I'm sorry." 

Victor glanced at him. "Not your fault, remember?"

"I know, but I'm still sorry that this is happening to you."

"I'm sorry that this is happening to you too, Yuuri."

Struggling to contain his tears, Yuuri reached over and patted Victor's shoulder. The older man smiled sadly. "Hey. You know what?" Yuuri asked, and Victor hummed in response. "My day is much better now, because I get to see you." 

Victor's face brightened. "Mine too. I'm really glad you decided to drunkenly message me on Instagram. I don't know how I would get through this without you." 

Yuuri groaned. "You're never going to stop teasing me about that, are you?"

"Nope!" Victor said cheerfully. 

Laughing, Yuuri turned his attention back to their surroundings. At some point, Victor had turned onto the freeway. "Uh, Victor? Where are we going?"

"I told you, it's a surprise!" Victor replied in a sing-song voice. 

Yuuri made note of the signs, realizing they were heading toward the suburbs. "Are you taking me somewhere to murder me?" he joked.

Victor laughed. "Yup, you caught me." 

"Seriously though," Yuuri pressed, "you're not going to tell me where we're going? Not even a hint?" 

Victor hummed and held a finger up to his lips like he was thinking. "No, I think it's much more fun to keep you in suspense." 

Yuuri rolled his eyes fondly. "Fine. Be that way." They lapsed into an easy conversation, talking about the Cute Thing Makkachin had done, or Yuuri's new work project. Yuuri told stories about his and Phichit's adventure to Windsor on Phichit's 19th birthday, and how the younger man had gotten them thrown out of a casino. In return, Victor told Yuuri about the time he and his best friend Chris went skinny dipping in Lake Superior in the middle of winter. 

"Oh god, why would you do that? That sounds horrible!" 

Victor shrugged. "Because we were drunk teenagers? For whatever reason, it seemed like a good idea at the time. Until we both thought we had frostbite on our...you know." 

Yuuri gaped at him. "Are you telling me you got frostbite on your dick?"

"No! We just thought we did because it was so cold!" 

The two of them laughed, and Yuuri found himself wondering the last time he had felt so comfortable with someone after such a short period of time. Phichit, maybe, but even then, it took weeks of pestering Yuuri to get him to open up. Even he and Anna hadn't clicked this well at first. In fact, Yuuri actively avoided her for the first month of their shared class because he was afraid to look foolish in front of her. For some reason, everything felt easy with Victor. Natural. 

Finally, Victor pulled off on an exit. Yuuri recognized where they were, because he and Anna had been looking at houses in this area. He watched silently as Victor navigated the area, eventually stopping them in front of a small cafe. 

Yuuri raised an eyebrow at Victor. "You brought me all the way out to the suburbs for a cafe? There's plenty of good cafes in the city, you know."

"This isn't just a cafe, Yuuri," Victor pouted. "This place has the best omelettes! They make them super fluffy and the size of your head!" 

The two of them got out of the car and made their way in. The restaurant was small, but cozy. They were seated quickly and Victor started babbling about his favorite menu items. Yuuri decided to let Victor order for him, since the other man was so excited. 

"What do you like?" Victor asked.

"Mostly anything. I have to agree with you that olives are gross, though."

"Good answer." Victor ordered him a hefty sounding egg white omelette stuffed with various meats, cheeses, and veggies. Yuuri nodded in approval. 

"Do you come here a lot?" Yuuri asked after the waitress left with their orders.

Victor shook his head sadly. "Not really. Seb and I were thinking of moving around here, so we stopped here for brunch once. I loved it, and I kept trying to get him to come back but he kept complaining about the drive. I come here occasionally by myself when I just really need a good omelette."

Yuuri frowned. "He was complaining about the drive? It didn't even take us 30 minutes to get here." 

"Seb isn't very patient when it comes to car rides. He gets irritable if there's any traffic or if we're in the car for more than 15 minutes. He hates driving anywhere."

"Oh," Yuuri deflated. 

"Yeah. You know," Victor said thoughtfully, "I didn't realize how many of Seb's flaws I'd really been overlooking until this whole thing happened. This isn't the first problem we've had. Even when he asked me to marry him I was worried it was a mistake."

"Really? How long have you been together?" 

"6 years. I used to train Seb's brother's dog, that's how we met. And we kept bumping into each other, so it seemed inevitable when we started dating. I'd just gotten out of a really bad relationship, and in hindsight I probably should have waited before jumping into a new one."

"When did you get engaged?"

"About a year ago," Victor continued, "everyone kept asking when we were going to get married, so no one was surprised when he asked. He invited both of our families to dinner, then got down on one knee. They brought the ring out in the champagne and everything." He smiled sadly. "Truthfully, I didn't feel like I was ready to get married...but I didn't want to break up either. So I said yes. It was honestly hard to say anything else in front of our families, anyway." 

"I can understand that," Yuuri replied sympathetically. "Both of our families keep asking when we're going to have kids. It's really hard to explain in front of our parents that I don't actually feel like I'm ready for that, or that I don't know if I'll ever feel ready. So I just smile and nod." 

"How long have you been together, then?" 

"We've been married for 5 years," Yuuri responded. "We met during our first semester of undergrad and started dating that year. We got engaged pretty quickly, and then had a small ceremony, so we were both barely 20 when we actually got married. It was so fast, and everyone kept telling us that we were too young and needed to slow down." Yuuri shrugged. "Now, I can't help wondering if they were right. Maybe we rushed into things, and that's why this is happening." 

"You could always confront Anna and ask her why."

Yuuri shook his head. "Not yet. I'm afraid if I confront her then it will just turn into a fight. But if I can figure out at least some of what I did wrong and change...then maybe we have a chance." 

Victor made a face, but didn't say anything. He hadn't known Victor for very long, but he already knew that the other man wasn't exactly fond of keeping his opinions to himself. "What's that look?" 

"Nothing," Victor said in a tone that Yuuri definitely knew was not "nothing". 

"Victor," he said sternly, before he was interrupted by their food being delivered. Victor's expression brightened, but Yuuri wasn't sure if it was because he was happy about the food, or the distraction. 

After Yuuri took a few bites, Victor spoke again. "It's good, right?" He looked hopeful.

Yuuri nibbled on his toast. "It's very good. But you're avoiding the question." 

Victor hummed, shoving another forkful of omelette in his mouth.

"Victor."

"Fine," Victor relented. "But you're going to get upset with me."

"What if I promise I won't?" 

Victor looked thoughtful for a a few seconds, then sighed. "Ok. Will you hear me out then, and not say anything until I'm done?" Yuuri nodded. "I just don't like how you keep blaming yourself for what Anna's done. You did that when we first met, too. This isn't your fault, and you shouldn't be trying to take the blame or change yourself because your partner made a shitty choice." Victor paused, gauging Yuuri's reaction. As promised, Yuuri let him speak his mind. "It's your choice if you decide you want to fight for your marriage, but I just want you to be sure that it's what you want, and that Anna will put in an equal effort. From how you described her, and your marriage, I'm worried that fixing your relationship is going to fall to you, and that she is not going to stop what she's doing. If you feel like you only deserve the worst, then that's all you'll get." 

Yuuri was speechless. His first instinct was to yell at Victor and tell him that he didn't know what he was talking about, that he didn't know Anna. But he had promised to listen, and not get angry. 

"Just promise you'll think about what I said, ok?"

He nodded. "Ok," Yuuri responded. They ate in silence for the rest of the meal, then paid their bills in silence, and got into the car in silence.

Victor started the car and began to drive, but he turned in a different direction then where they had come from. Yuuri didn't say anything, instead watching the unreadable expression on Victor's face. Before long, Victor was pulling into a large park. He passed a playground and a busy parking lot to turn into a more secluded drive. There were only a small number of cars, and he found a shaded spot to park. The car turned off, and Victor began unbuckling his seatbelt.

"What are we doing?" Yuuri asked as he followed Victor out of the car.

"Do you really want to sit in a car with me for 30 minutes after that conversation?" He gestured to a wooded walking path in front of him. "I thought this would be a better alternative. I can walk somewhere else if you want to be alone..." Victor looked at him hopefully.

Yuuri smiled gently. "No, I would rather have you with me." 

Victor visibly brightened, then gave an exaggerated bow. "Well then, right this way, sir." He offered his arm, which Yuuri happily took, giggling the entire time. They walked along the wooded path, which felt slightly chilly in the shaded spring air. If the two stayed closer than necessary, it was just for body heat...right? Victor didn't seem to mind Yuuri's arm remaining linked with his own, so Yuuri didn't try to pull away. 

Every once in a while, Victor would stop and point out a bird or a squirrel on a tree branch. Victor was surprisingly knowledgeable about bird calls. "Wow," Yuuri finally said, after Victor correctly identified a bird based on its call. "Who knew you were secretly a giant nerd?" he said affectionately. 

Victor laughed. "Oh no, now you know my secret!" 

Just like that, everything seemed to be back to the way it was before. Except, Yuuri knew it wasn't. He stopped suddenly, pulling them both to a standstill. Yuuri pulled his arm from Victor, then turned to face him. "Victor, I'm sorry I made you feel like you couldn't talk to me."

Victor looked like he wanted to respond, but Yuuri held up a hand to indicate that he wasn't finished. "I know we haven't known each other very long, but you're becoming a really good friend. I don't want you to ever feel like you can't talk to me about something. So just...call me on my bullshit, ok? I think both of us know how awful it feels when you can't talk to someone you should be able to count on. I don't want us to be like that."

Yuuri was worried he crossed a line, because Victor didn't respond for a few moments. Then, he suddenly pulled Yuuri into a tight hug, making the younger man yelp in surprise. 

"I can't tell you how much it means to me to hear you say that. Seb...he always makes me feel bad when I bring up something that's bothering me." Victor's voice cracked, and Yuuri realized that he was crying. "I might have a hard time being honest with you at first, but I promise I'll try. I won't let you get away with anything."

Yuuri squeezed Victor harder. "I hate that you feel like you can't express what you're feeling. Tell me if I ever make you feel like that, ok? I never want you to feel like you can't be honest with me."

Victor nodded into Yuuri's shoulder, sniffling. "Thank you." He pulled out of the hug so he could look at Yuuri, his eyes shining with tears. Of course Victor was a pretty crier, Yuuri didn't know why he expected anything else. "You know, I'm actually glad Seb decided to cheat on me," Victor confessed. "I've been ignoring our problems for a long time, and this helped me see how wrong we are for each other. Plus," he added, and Yuuri swore for a second that Victor was blushing, "I got to meet you." 

He wasn't sure why, but Yuuri felt himself blushing furiously in return. It was probably just because Victor had shared something so personal with him. Yuuri pulled Victor back into the hug, feeling tears starting to form in his own eyes. "I'm glad I got to meet you, too."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> HopCat is my favorite restaurant so I couldn't resist putting it in here. I definitely recommend going if you're ever in Detroit! Same with the restaurant I referenced in the last chapter but didn't name (Royale With Cheese). Also, bonus points if you can figure out which suburb Victor took Yuuri to. 
> 
> Sorry not sorry for making Victor a Yooper. I was referencing real sled dog races, by the way! There's a race that starts in Marquette, and also one further north that runs from Calumet to Copper Harbor. Fun little bit of Michigan info :D


	3. Just a Friend

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Yuuri and Victor continue to grow closer, while both struggle with their relationships with their respective partners.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all again for all of the comments and kudos! It means so much to hear that you're all enjoying this fic.

"You've been gone a lot lately."

Yuuri looked up from his laptop to see his wife giving him a curious look. "Have I?"

"Yes, you have." 

"Oh. I guess so." He had been spending a lot of time with Victor lately. In fact, it had become unusual to go more than 48 hours without seeing each other, and if the other man didn't text him daily, he got worried.

Anna sighed. "It's just not like you. You're usually a homebody." 

She wasn't wrong. Yuuri was extremely introverted, and usually needed more time to recover from social interactions. For some reason, spending time with Victor didn't feel draining. "I've just been hanging out with a new friend. We have a lot in common." It wasn't a lie, even if it wasn't the full truth.

"What's this friend's name?" she asked suspiciously.

"Victor. We met through...a mutual acquaintance." 

Anna seemed to relax a bit. "Ok. Well, I'm glad you made a new friend. Can you just tell me when you're going to be gone late so I don't worry?" 

"Oh, sure, I can do that.” Yuuri bit his lip, wondering if he could push his luck. “Anna?”

“Hm?”

“We’re ok, right?”

She blinked at him a few times. “Of course, why do you even need to ask?”

“I just feel like something has been off between us. Are you ok?”

“Yeah,” she confirmed. “I’m fine, and we’re fine. I promise” She grabbed her keys off the counter, heading for the door.

“Where are you off too?" 

"Out,” she said vaguely. 

"Hey," Yuuri called softly, stopping Anna as she started to reach for the door handle. "What if we both have an early night this weekend? On Saturday? We could order pizza, and I could kick your ass at Mario Kart."

Anna regarded him for a few moments before muttering, "maybe", and exiting the apartment. 

Yuuri wasn't sure if he felt hopeful, or crushed by Anna's response. "Maybe" was more of an affirmative than he'd gotten in months, but it still wasn't a yes. He really hadn't made much progress figuring out whatever it was that he needed to figure out about their relationship. Anna had ignored any of his attempts to reach out. She brushed off any affection Yuuri tried to offer, and Yuuri couldn't remember the last time they'd actually set aside time to spend together. 

He also didn’t know how to interpret Anna’s denial of their marital problems. Clearly, everything was not fine if she felt the need to cheat on him. Without even thinking what he was doing, Yuuri pulled out his phone to text Victor.

**Yuuri** : Hey. Do you have a sec?

**Victor** : Of course! I have many seconds for you :) 

**Yuuri** : Aren't you at work?

**Victor** : Yes, but the perk of owning my own business is that no one will yell at me for being on my phone. 

**Yuuri** : Hah, true. 

**Yuuri** : I think Anna is mad about us meeting.

**Victor** : You told her about us meeting?

**Yuuri** : Not everything! She just asked where I'd been spending so much time, so I told her I was hanging out with a friend. Is that ok?

**Victor** : Of course! I would never ask you to lie to your wife about us. 

Yuuri felt momentarily guilty, because he had been making Victor lie to his fiance for almost a month about knowing that he was cheating. That was a problem for another time.

**Yuuri** : Thanks. 

**Victor** : So what happened?

**Yuuri** : idk. She just got weird about me being gone so much. And I've been doing a terrible job remembering to tell her that I'm not going to be back until late so she was upset about that. I'm just tired of being such a shit husband that I can't even remember to text my wife when I'm out. I already made her worry once when I fell asleep at Phichit's and didn't come home. I don't know what to do. I keep trying to reach out to her and she pushes me away. I'm just messing everything up. I asked her if something was wrong, and she said everything was fine. That’s obviously not true. 

Yuuri sent the lengthy message, sniffling, and three dots appeared instantly, indicating that Victor was typing. He felt awful for bothering Victor with his marital problems, especially if he was at work, but Victor had told him multiple times to reach out if he needed to. 

**Victor** : Does Anna ever tell you who she's meeting, or when she'll be back?

**Yuuri** : No...?

**Victor** : I didn't think so. She's being a total hypocrite. She goes out whenever she wants, meeting with whoever she wants, without any regard for your feelings. It's not fair for her to expect you to report to her about every little thing when she won't even bother to tell you what (who) she's doing. 

**Victor** : And by the way, you're not a shit husband. You're incredibly loving and dedicated, and it's admirable that you are willing to fight so hard for your marriage. I just hope you realize sooner rather than later that it isn't worth fighting for. You deserve better than this, and she's an idiot for ruining things with you. You're the most amazing person I've ever met. Don't let her make you feel otherwise. 

**Yuuri:** You really think that?

**Victor** : Of course! And Makka thinks so too :)

A picture arrived of Makkachin, grinning at the camera. Yuuri cooed at the picture.

**Yuuri** : She's so cute! I can't believe I still haven't met her.

**Victor** : We could fix that! Makka and I could come and pick you up after work. 

**Yuuri** : I appreciate the offer, but it's game night.

**Victor** : ?

**Yuuri** : Phichit and I have this tradition where every other Wednesday night, we meet up and play games. Board games, video games, tabletop games, etc. We have a few friends that started joining us over the past few years so it's kind of become a big thing. After work I'll be picking up some snacks and then heading to Phichit's.

**Victor** : Oh that sounds fun! And I'm glad you won't be alone. 

**Yuuri** : It is :) 

**Yuuri** : You could come if you want. People bring their significant others all the time.

Yuuri blushed when he realized what he had just implied. Fortunately, Victor didn't seem to pick up on his slip.

**Victor** : That sounds like fun! I would love to, but I'll have to take a raincheck for next time. Makka's been a bit under the weather so I don't want to leave her home alone. 

**Yuuri** : Oh no! I hope she feels better :( 

**Victor** : Thanks :) I'm sure she will be happy to know you care.

**Victor** : Oh, are you free next Friday night?

**Yuuri** : I think so. Why?

**Victor:** You know my best friend Chirs? It's his birthday next week! We were gonna go to karaoke. Do you want to come?

**Yuuri** : I don't want to intrude.

**Victor** : You won't be! He's excited to meet you. And you can bring Phichit too! Something tells me that he and Chris will get along.

**Yuuri** : Will Sebastian be there? Because I don't know if I can handle that.

**Victor** : No, he doesn't like Chris. Chris is super flirty and handsy and Seb always got jealous when Chris would get too cozy with me. Oh the irony, right?

**Yuuri** : Yikes. 

**Victor** : ikr? So you won't have to worry about Seb, and I'll make sure Chris is on his best behavior.

**Victor** : But I do apologize in advance for him. Chris can be a bit...intense, but I promise he's harmless. 

**Yuuri** : Sure, that sounds like fun. I'll see if Phichit is available. 

**Victor:** :D 

\------------------------

Yuuri arrived at Phichit's apartment shortly before sunset, his arms full of snacks and booze. Phichit held the door open for him, catching a rogue bag of chips that slipped out of the grocery bag. Their game nights were mostly hosted at Phichit's place, so Yuuri knew the drill. He set the snacks out on the table, and put the drinks in the fridge. The two worked together to pull out Phichit's board games and set up the Switch.

Once they were satisfied, the two friends plopped down on the couch, waiting for their other guests. They both opened a beer, sipping casually and talking about their jobs and the latest episodes of their favorite TV shows. 

"Oh, I almost forgot. Victor invited us to his friend's birthday celebration next Friday. It's going to be boozy karaoke." 

Phichit hummed in contemplation. "You guys must've gotten pretty close if he's inviting you to his friend's birthday."

Yuuri blushed, and Phichit raised his eyebrows. "Yeah. He's becoming a really good friend. We hang out all the time. I invited him tonight, but couldn't make it. Said he wants to come next time, though."

"Damn," Phichit remarked, "you can't even get Anna to come to one of these."

Yuuri ignored whatever implication Phichit was trying to make. "So, do you want to go?"

"Of course!" Phichit exclaimed. "I want to see the man that has stolen my poor, straight friend's heart." 

Yuuri kicked at his friend's legs. "Don't make it weird. You know it's not like that."

"Do I?" Phichit asked sarcastically. "What I know is that you smile whenever you talk about him, your face lights up when he texts you, you spend more time with him than your wife, and you talk about him more than your wife. Sounds like a crush to me." 

He blushed again, and Phichit muttered something that sounded like "I told you so." Yuuri took another sip of his beer. 

"I don't have a crush on him. I'm still married, and he's still engaged. Plus, I'm still not into men," Yuuri insisted. 

"Ok, first of all," Phichit started, sounding unconvinced, "you can have crushes when you're in a committed relationship. It happens all the time. Second," he continued, "are you _sure_ that you're not even the _tiniest_ bit into men? Because the only time I've ever seen you like this was when you were crushing on Anna."

Yuuri was about to make a rebuttal, when there was a knock at Phichit's door. Phichit gave him a look that Yuuri interpreted as meaning that the conversation wasn't done, before opening the door to let their guests in. 

The door swung open, and their friends Leo and Guang Hong stepped inside. Truthfully, they were more Phichit's friends, but Yuuri liked them well enough, even if Guang Hong was a bit young for their group. Guang Hong was the only one of them still under 21, and he had only joined their group fairly recently after following his best friend Leo one night.

"Hey guys!" Leo called cheerfully. Guang Hong just waved shyly. He'd been coming to their game nights for a few months, but he was still fairly quiet. Leo insisted he was much rowdier when he drank, but Yuuri was not going to be the one to get a student 5 years his junior blackout drunk. 

"Hey, Leo. Guang Hong," Yuuri greeted in return.

"Who else is coming tonight?" Leo asked. 

"Sara. And apparently she's finally bringing her girlfriend!" Phichit said cheerfully.

"Mickey won't be here, will he?" Guang Hong asked nervously. They were all more friendly with Sara, but her twin brother Michele didn't like her to go anywhere without him. He had given Guang Hong quite the scare after he assumed the poor boy was flirting with his sister and screamed at him. In reality, Guang Hong had just been offering her the bowl of chips. 

"I don't think so," Yuuri responded. He wasn't sure if Michele actually liked their game nights. He always seemed so grumpy. 

The two newcomers made themselves comfortable, setting up Quiplash on Phichit's computer and hooking it up to the TV to start off the night with. It was only a few minutes later when there was another knock on the door. This time, Phichit just yelled, "come in!" from his spot on the couch.

Sara opened the door, along with a red-haired woman that Yuuri assumed was her girlfriend. They all greeted each other, then Sara introduced them to the girl she had been seeing for the past few months. Sara had talked about her at their previous game nights, but she hadn't felt the relationship was serious enough to introduce the young woman to her friends. Apparently, something had changed.

"Everyone, this is Mila! Mila, this is Phichit, Yuuri, Leo, and Guang Hong." 

Mila greeted them all in turn, then the pair sat down on the empty loveseat, leaning on each other. Yuuri couldn't help but smile, remembering when he and Anna had been in that early stage where they couldn't stand to be apart. His thoughts briefly flashed to Victor's smiling face, but Yuuri shook his head and pushed the thought away. He wasn't sure why he was thinking of his friend.

"So, Quiplash?" Sara asked as everyone entered a name.

"Yup!" Phichit handed the candy bowl to the newest arrivals. They happily took it from him, digging in immediately "And shocking no one, Yuuri made his name 'katsudon' again." 

The group laughed, and Yuuri rolled his eyes. "It's a good name, ok? And lucky. Remember how I kicked your asses last time?"

Leo shook his head. "Your luck won't last!" 

Guang Hong and Phichit muttered in agreement. "I guess we'll just have to see," Yuuri challenged. 

"How does this game work?" Mila asked. 

"It's really fun!" Sara explained. "Everyone gets two prompts that you have to finish. Then, two answers for the same prompt get put up together, and the other players vote on which one they like the best. Usually, the funniest or dirtiest answers get chosen. But you only have so much time to come up with an answer, so you have to think quickly!" 

Mila nodded in understanding, then the game started. Phichit was ahead after the first round, but Sara quickly overtook him and won the first game. None of them were ready to give up, so they started a second game. 

One of the last prompts was "Okay...fine! What do YOU want to talk about then?!!!". One of the answers, presumably Phichit's was, "Yuuri's repressed sexuality". 

"Phichit!" Yuuri glared at his friend. The rest of the group seemed to find it hilarious, as Phichit's answer took all the votes, besides Yuuri’s, over Guang Hong's. 

"Why is Yuuri's sexuality repressed?" Sara asked once the game had finished. "I feel like I'm missing a joke here." 

"It's not a joke," Phichit said seriously. "Our boy doesn't want to admit that he has the hots for his new sexy man-friend." 

"That's so weird, don't call him that..." Yuuri protested weakly.

"Does that mean that you and Anna are officially...?" Leo asked awkwardly. Yuuri had told them what was going on during the last game night. 

"No. We're still together. And ignore Phichit, he's just being a brat." Yuuri glared at him, and Phichit grinned in response. 

"You guys should hear how Yuuri talks about him. 'Phichit, you have to look at this picture of Victor's dog! Phichit, Victor is soooo nice! Phichit, did you know Victor--'" Yuuri cut him off by putting a hand over his mouth and pushing his friend down onto the couch. It was very reminiscent of the night Yuuri had gotten drunk and crashed here. He could hear Phichit cackling underneath his hand, squirming to try to throw Yuuri off. 

"Wait, who's Victor?" Guang Hong asked. 

Phichit managed to get Yuuri's hand off his mouth. "Just Yuuri's new bff that he met because his wife his fucking Victor's fiance. He and Yuuri spend a loooooot of time together!" 

"Ouch," Sara commented. Mila looked thoughtful, but didn't say anything. 

"For real? This is Other Man's fiance?" Leo asked. 

Yuuri stopped trying to pin Phichit down, but he didn't get off of him. "Yeah. We've been getting to know each other." 

"Hold on, what is Victor's last name?" Mila piped up from beside Sara.

"Nikiforov. Why?" Yuuri responded.

Mila squealed. "Oh my god! You're Yuuri!"

Yuuri blinked at her. "Uh, yeah?"

"No, I mean, you're Victor's Yuuri!" she said with delight.

"Hold on, you know Victor?" He tried, and failed, not to blush at being called "Victor's Yuuri." Phichit snickered knowingly.

"Yeah, he's my boss! I work at Happy Tails. Also, my little sister went to school with his brother. We actually lived down the street from each other growing up and never knew it," Mila explained. 

"Wow, small world," Leo commented.

"Victor talks about you all the time, you know," Mila proclaimed. 

"He does?" Yuuri asked.

Mila nodded. "Mhm. He's been so much happier since you two started hanging out! His fiance is such an ass, I've never liked him. I didn't know for sure that Sebastian was cheating on him but I had my suspicions." 

"Yeah, I don't think he wanted to tell a lot of people," Yuuri confirmed. 

"I assumed so. Especially because he's our boss, even though we like him and hang out outside of work. It would be kind of a weird thing for him to talk to us about." 

Yuuri nodded. "Yeah, makes sense." 

"Anyway," Mila continued, "I'm really glad I got to meet you. It's nice to put a face to a name, and see the person that's making Victor so happy."

"Oh, well, he makes me happy too," Yuuri confessed. 

"Damn, Phichit. I think you're right," Sara said thoughtfully. 

"See! I told you!" Phichit exclaimed triumphantly, before Yuuri shoved a hand over his mouth again. 

"Should we take bets on when Yuuri finally realizes he's not actually straight?" Leo offered. 

"Oh, I'm in!" Sara giggled. "I'm going to say, 2 months from now." 

"No way," Leo argued. "Yuuri's stubborn, it's going to be at least twice that long. I say 4 months." 

"I think I'll go in between and say 3 months," Guang Hong added.

Phichit shook his head, dislodging Yuuri's hand again. "No, he's definitely going to figure it out after spending the evening getting serenaded by his beloved next Friday." 

"What is that supposed to mean?" Sara asked.

"Yuuri and I were invited to do karaoke with Victor and his friend!" 

"Oh, for Chris's birthday? That will be fun! Chris is kind of a wild guy," Mila added. 

Yuuri was beet red from embarrassment. "Guys! Cut it out! It's not like that..." 

"Well, then you won't mind betting money on it, right? Say, $10 per person?" Sara said with a wicked grin. 

"Fine," Yuuri said stubbornly. "But you all might as well all give me your money right now, because it's never gonna happen." 

"Oh, I want in!" Mila sat up excitedly. "I'll say, 3 weeks?"

Phichit was still cackling, obviously thrilled at the night's development. 

\------------------------

Yuuri pulled up to the curb where Victor and Makka were standing, grinning at the other man. His expression fell when he noticed how absolutely miserable Victor looked. His eyes were red and swollen, and he had a heavy frown on his face. Makkachin was nuzzling her owner's hand, but Victor wasn't really responding to her. 

He stopped the car, and made to get out, but Victor shook his head slightly and motioned to Yuuri to unlock the back door. Without a word, Victor let Makka into the back, then let himself into the passenger seat. He avoided Yuuri's gaze.

Makka pushed her way up to the front seat, attempting to climb in Yuuri's lap. He was torn between greeting the enthusiastic poodle, who was trying to lick his face, and comforting a very solemn looking Victor. Yuuri gently guided Makka into the back, patting her head affectionately. This really wasn't how he had expected his first meeting with the poodle to go. 

"Victor, what happened? Are you alright?"

"We should go. There are other cars trying to pull up," Victor muttered. 

Yuuri sighed, and pulled back onto the street. He kept stealing glances at Victor, who was still refusing to look at him. Makka whined in the back, trying to paw at Victor. That got a small smile from the man, who reached back to ruffle her fur. 

"Victor..." Yuuri tried again.

Victor plastered on a very fake looking smile. "I'm fine." He took a deep breath, then tried again. "Sorry, no I'm not. I'm not used to being able to actually talk about what I'm feeling," he lamented. 

Yuuri made a sympathetic noise. "You can always talk to me, Victor." 

"I know." He took another breath. "Seb and I had a huge fight."

"Oh?" 

"I just hit a breaking point. He was just...being an ass. I don't have any better way to phrase it. He was just in a pissy mood, and snapping at me for every little thing." Victor laughed humorlessly. "I can't believe I used to sit there and take this sort of thing."

"But you didn't this time, right?"

"No," Victor confirmed. "I told him to fuck off. He didn't take it well. Said some pretty nasty things." 

Yuuri reached over to find Victor's hand and squeezed it. He felt Victor rearrange their grip so he could return the gesture, interlocking their fingers. "I'm proud of you for standing up for yourself."

"Thanks. I'm...kind of proud of me too. You know," he continued, "everyone is always telling me that Seb is an asshole, and saying I should break up with him. I figured he was just kind of cranky and sarcastic, and that they just didn't understand him. He isn't abusive, so what was the harm?" He paused to collect his thoughts. "But he isn't exactly nice either. I don't think I've ever really felt like I could be myself with him. And I just...got used to it. How messed up is that?"

Yuuri squeezed Victor's hand again, letting him continue to speak his mind. "I just can't believe I gave 6 years of my life to him. I wish I could take that back. I'm ready to get out."

Yuuri pulled his hand away, and he saw Victor give him a confused look out of the corner of his eye. "I'm sorry."

"It's not your--"

"Yes it is. This time, it is my fault."

"Why would you say that?" Victor whispered, barely audible over Makka's panting.

"Because it's true. I'm the one that told you not to confront Sebastian. You're still stuck with him because I'm selfish," Yuuri confessed.

"Yuuri, no," Victor said firmly. "That's not true at all. I'm still with Seb because I wasn't ready to break up with him. Even with how angry I was when I found out he was cheating, I didn't know how to be without him. We've been together so long I've forgotten who I was before him. You're the one that made me realize that I'm not going to take this anymore."

That surprised Yuuri. "I did? How?"

"Just by being you, and encouraging me to be me. I can't tell you how much that means to me. I'd forgotten what it was like to have someone in my corner," Victor said gently.

"Oh."

"Yeah."

"If...if you want to confront Sebastian then you should," Yuuri said firmly.

Victor raised an eyebrow. "Are you sure? I don't want Anna to find out before you're ready."

Yuuri nodded. "I'm sure. I'm not the only one being affected by this, so it's not fair for decisions to be made only based on what's best for me. It sounds like you really need to get out, so I don't want you to be stuck with him any more if you don't want to be."

They stopped at a red light, and Victor leaned over to hug him. "Thank you. I promise I won't tell Seb how I found out. Hopefully nothing will get back to Anna, and you don't have to have this conversation before you're ready."

A horn honked behind them, and they broke the hug. Yuuri blushed as the car accelerated. Victor sat back in his seat, and seemed to be less melancholy. His mood continued to improve as they pulled into the large county park. It had been a bit of a drive, but it was worth it to get out of the city a bit and to one of the larger dog parks within a reasonable driving range. 

Makka was practically vibrating with excitement by the time they got their temporary parking pass and pulled up to the fenced in park. There were at least a dozen dogs of varying breeds running around in the safety of the fence. Makka yipped happily.

"Calm down, girl. We're going as fast as we can!" Victor laughed as Makka tried to jump in his lap. 

Yuuri smiled at the sight. "I got her a present. I remember you said that she loves to play fetch, so I got her a Chuck It." 

"Yuuuuuuri! That's so sweet!" Victor's expression turned into Yuuri's favorite heart-shaped grin, and he couldn't help but smile in return. Victor's smiles could light up even the darkest room.

The two of them, and Makka, got out of the car, and Yuuri pulled her new present out of the trunk. Makka couldn't decide if she wanted the toy, or Yuuri. She kept bouncing between jumping for the tennis ball and jumping on Yuuri. She nearly knocked him over, but Victor caught him under the arms and kept him upright.

"I think someone forgot to tell Makka that she's a senior citizen," Yuuri joked as Makka took off into the park. 

Victor chuckled in response. "I keep waiting for her to slow down and it just hasn't happened. She's a very spry old girl." 

Makka circled around back to her humans after taking the time to greet the other dogs. "Will she be ok if I throw the ball here? I don't want to start a fight with the other dogs."

"Yeah, there's a fairly empty spot over there, and she's not toy possessive. I'm sure she would love it if you threw the ball for her." 

Once they reached an open stretch of grass, Yuuri loaded the Chuck It and threw the ball as far as he could. Makka took off happily, her curls bouncing on her head as she ran. It wasn't very busy at the park, probably because there was rain in the forecast, so they were able to stay pretty well away from the other dogs and just let Makka run.

"I'm so glad you found this place. There just aren't dog parks this big in the city," Victor commented. 

"I'm just glad I finally go to meet her. She's just as cute in person as she is in pictures."

Victor gasped. "Oh no, Yuuri! I'm so sorry, you really didn't get a proper introduction with Makka."

Yuuri elbowed Victor playfully. "Don't worry about it. Now that I know how sweet she is, I'm planning on kidnapping her, anyway."

Victor laughed and threw an arm around Yuuri. "As long as I get to visit her."

Makka returned with the ball and dropped it at their feet, tail wagging. Yuuri scooped it up and threw it again. Makka took off, catching it in the air off a bounce. "I suppose I can allow that." 

They walked together, taking turns throwing the ball. Makka's age caught up to her eventually, and she started to get a little stiff and became reluctant to sprint full speed after the ball. Victor took the toy away after that, his arm finally leaving Yuuri's shoulder. Yuuri couldn't help but feel a little disappointed at the loss, but he wasn't really sure why. 

When Makka finally seemed to have reached her limit, the trio made their way back to the car. Makka snoozed in the backseat, and Yuuri and Victor sang off-key show tunes all the way home. By the time they were back in the city, Yuuri's sides hurt from laughing. Victor was singing "Can You Feel the Love Tonight" from The Lion King, changing his voice for each role and gesturing dramatically. It was terrible, but endearing.

They were both out of breath once Yuuri pulled up to the curb outside Victor's apartment. Neither of them moved, not wanting to say goodbye yet. But they had to, because he and Anna were  _ maybe  _ having date night tonight. He had to be home. 

"Are you going to be ok?" Yuuri finally said, softly.

Victor nodded. "Yeah. Chris already offered to let me stay with him when this whole thing started. I texted him before we left to let him know I wanted to take him up on it."

"That's good. Chris seems like a good friend."

"He is," Victor confirmed. "I'm excited for you to meet."

"So, you're gonna do it then? Break up with him for real?"

Victor nodded again. "Yeah. I can't do it anymore." 

Yuuri leaned over and pulled Victor into a tight hug. "I'm so proud of you. Text me and tell me how it goes, or if you need anything."

Victor squeezed back. "Thank you."

They separated reluctantly, and Victor exited the car, stopping to grab Makka from the back. Yuuri pulled away, watching them out of his rear view mirror. He saw Victor pick up Makka's paw to make her wave. Yuuri laughed, shaking his head fondly. 

He kept smiling, even when he stopped at the grocery store to get food for dinner. He only stopped smiling when he pulled into the parking lot at his own apartment complex. His stomach clenched in anticipation. Yuuri was afraid to go inside, because he didn't know what he would find. When he had asked Anna for a date night, she had replied, "maybe". He still didn't know exactly what that meant.

Yuuri parked, then pulled out the groceries, heading inside. The apartment was empty, but it was still early. Anna might not even be off work yet, depending on what kind of projects she was working on. Refusing to be discouraged, Yuuri got to work. He had decided on shrimp scampi as the main course, with a side of parmesan lemon asparagus, and salted caramel buttercream brownies for dessert. Nothing complicated, but it would be clear that he had put effort into the meal. Once the food was cooking, he retreated to the bedroom to change into something nicer. He settled for a new button-up and a pair of dark slacks. He even pushed his hair back with gel. Yuuri debated putting in contacts, but ultimately decided to keep his glasses on. 

Yuuri returned to the kitchen, finishing the last prep of the food, then setting the table. Anna should be home any time, but he figured it wouldn't hurt to text her to make sure. 

**Yuuri** : What time will you be home? I made dinner. 

He sent the text, then lit candles, and put on their favorite classical music softly in the background. The timer dinged, signaling that the food was done. He turned the stove to low to keep the scampi warm, and pulled the asparagus out of the oven and covered it with tin foil to keep the heat in. Then, the brownies went in.

Anna still wasn't home. It was well past when she would have been done with work.

**Yuuri** : Are you coming home? I made something special for date night.

The timer dinged again, indicating that the brownies were done. He pulled them out of the oven, then set them aside to cool. He decided to busy himself by starting on the dishes and cleaning up the stove. 

Anna still wasn't home.

**Yuuri** : Anna? 

Yuuri sighed heavily, and put the brownies in the fridge to cool faster so he could put the frosting on. Finally, his phone buzzed. 

**Anna** : I'm not coming home tonight. I have plans and I'm staying with a friend.

**Yuuri** : What about date night?

**Anna** : What date night?

**Yuuri** : Remember, I asked the other day? I said pizza and Mario Kart, but I thought a nice dinner would be better. 

**Anna** : I don’t remember agreeing to that.

**Anna** : Pretty sure I said maybe.

**Yuuri** : I just didn't hear anything to the contrary so I thought we were still on.

**Anna** : Well, I made plans. My bad. 

**Yuuri** : Ok...I love you.

Yuuri's phone buzzed again, and for a second he thought that Anna had responded, but it was Victor.

**Victor** : It's official: Makka and I are out! I broke up with Seb, and we're settling in at Chris's place. 

Victor sent him a picture of his bare ring finger, where his engagement ring had been sitting just a few hours before. 

**Yuuri** : Congrats! I'm proud of you.

**Victor** : :)

**Victor** : How's date night?

**Yuuri** : Well...

**Victor** : Yuuri?

**Yuuri** : Anna's not coming. She said she's spending the night with a "friend". Guessing that means she's headed to your place.

**Yuuri** : Er, your former place. 

**Victor** : :(

**Victor** : I'm sorry, that sucks.

**Yuuri** : Yeah. I guess I'll just eat a bunch of shrimp scampi by myself then.

**Yuuri** : Or...

**Victor** : Or?

**Yuuri** : Have you eaten?

**Victor** : No...?

**Yuuri** : Want to eat a fancy dinner with me? 

**Victor** : Really? 

**Yuuri** : Yeah. It's more than I can eat, and I'd rather have it eaten fresh. Or, fresh-ish. I have been waiting for a while. 

**Victor** : Sure, I'll eat your fancy food for you :) 

**Victor** : Chris actually lives pretty close to you so I'll be there in 10. 

**Yuuri** : :) 

True to his word, Victor knocked on his door about 10 minutes later. Yuuri let him in, and Victor gaped at him, looking him up and down. Yuuri blushed under the scrutiny. "What? Is there something on my face?"

"No, you just look nice. Really nice." He reached out and patted Yuuri's head. "I like your hair like this. It's a good look." 

Yuuri blushed harder. "O-oh. Thank you." 

Victor pulled his hand back. "It smells wonderful in here. Oh, I brought booze!" He held up a bottle of champagne.

Yuuri chuckled, trying not to miss the warmth of Victor's close proximity. "To celebrate your new freedom?" 

Victor nodded. "Exactly!" 

"We don't have fancy champagne glasses, but these should do." He pulled out two wine glasses and a bottle opener. The bottle opened with a "pop" and Yuuri poured them both a glass. He motioned to Victor to sit down at the table, setting a glass in front of him. 

He served the scampi and the asparagus, which had mostly been kept warm. "Sorry if the asparagus is a little off. I had to reheat it in the oven." 

Victor shrugged. "I'm sure it's delicious. Thank you for sharing with me."

Yuuri smiled. "Thank you for rescuing me from a night alone." 

They started to eat, and Victor complimented the taste multiple times. "I can't remember the last time someone put on a romantic dinner for me. This is nice. I just wish I had thought to dress up more." He gestured to his plain sweater. 

"Don't worry, you look great. You always do." Yuuri blushed when he realized what he just said, but Victor just beamed at him. 

"So, shall we toast?" Victor held up his glass, and Yuuri mirrored him. "To telling asshole exes where to stick it."

Yuuri laughed, and added, "To new friendships, may they last a lifetime." 

Victor smiled, and they clinked their glasses together, then took a sip. "Mm. You got the good stuff," Yuuri said as he wiped his mouth. 

"Only the best for you!" 

They finished their meals, chatting amicably, and sipping on champagne. Victor refilled their glasses as they washed the dishes together, bumping hips and making jokes. Once the mess had been cleaned up, Yuuri pulled the brownies and the frosting out of the fridge. 

"Sorry, the brownies aren't frosted yet."

"Don't worry about it. We can frost them together." He stuck his finger in the bowl of frosting, and Yuuri swatted him with the rubber spatula. 

They started out frosting the brownies, but quickly evolved to spreading frosting on each other's faces. Yuuri laughed as Victor spread frosting over Yuuri's upper lip like a mustache. He left a dollop on Victor's nose in response. Victor stuck his tongue out to lick it off, accidentally licking Yuuri's finger in the process. Yuuri shivered at the sensation. 

Once the brownies were frosted, and their faces were cleaned, they sat down on Yuuri's couch with a plate full of brownies and an empty bottle of champagne. It wasn't enough for either of them to get wasted, but judging by how much they were giggling and leaning into each other, they were both tipsy. They hand fed each other brownies, pulling their hands away at the last second to make it harder for each other. 

Yuuri put on a movie, but neither of them were paying attention to what was going on. Victor's head had ended up in his lap, and Yuuri was gently running his fingers through the other man's hair. It was softer than he ever could have imagined.

"Mmm that's nice." Victor closed his eyes and sighed contentedly. "You're very comfy."

Yuuri chuckled. "Thanks, I think. How are you holding up?"

"Surprisingly well. I think I've been looking for an excuse to break up with Seb for a long time, so I'm not really sad. I'm more sad that I gave him so much of my life," Victor answered honestly. "And you know what? He was a jerk. I'm not going to miss being with a jerk. It's not like I've actually felt like we were a couple in a long time, more like roommates with benefits."

"That's a good way to look at it. And, he was definitely a jerk," Yuuri agreed. "You deserve so much better than that. You deserve to be with someone that will listen to you and treat you right."

"Like you?" 

Yuuri's fingers stilled. "What?"

Victor winced, and sat up from his lap. "Sorry. Just the alcohol talking. I just meant that you've been such an amazing friend, and you helped me when I needed it most. I'm always going to be grateful for that."

"Oh." Yuuri didn't know if he was pleased or disappointed by Victor's answer. "Well, you've been an amazing friend to me too, so I guess we're even." 

Victor smiled. "You deserve the same thing, you know." 

"What do you mean?"

"You deserve someone that builds you up instead of tearing you down."

Yuuri leaned into Victor, wrapping his arms around him. Victor was warm, and Yuuri could hear his heart beating rapidly as he leaned into his chest. "Why are you so nice to me?" 

"Why wouldn't I be nice to you?"

"I just mean, you're the nicest person I've ever met. Even before Anna...you know," a month later and he still couldn't say it out loud, "she never talked to me like this."

"Like you're an actual person deserving of kind words every once in a while?"

"No, that's not it," Yuuri said defensively. "She's not...mean. She's just not...vocal in her affections, I guess. She's never been."

"And that's something you need." Victor said it as a statement, and not a question.

Yuuri hesitated, then nodded. "...yeah. I'm not...confident. In anything. Sometimes, I just wish she would, I don't know, say something nice? Just every once in a while, it would be nice to hear that she thinks that I look good, or that I did something right. Ugh, that makes me sound so whiny." 

"Wanting to feel validated by your partner doesn't make you whiny," Victor insisted, rubbing Yuuri's back. "It makes you human." Yuuri held him tighter. "If Anna isn't going to say nice things to you, then I'll just have to be the one to do it!" 

Yuuri leaned back, looking at Victor's face for a sign that he was joking. He looked entirely serious. "What? You don't have to do that." 

"I know. But I want to!" 

"Why?"

"Because you deserve to hear it."

Yuuri didn't know what to say, and Victor was looking at him with such a gentle expression, it made his heart hurt. "You're the most amazing person I've ever met," Yuuri whispered. 

Victor blushed. "Hey, I'm supposed to be complimenting you!"

"I can return the favor." 

Victor didn't say anything about Yuuri's declaration, but he looked delighted. "I should get started, since I have a bunch of lost time to make up for. First of all," he started, "you're kind, and funny, and cute. You're always nice to people, even when they haven't done anything to earn it, and you go out of your way to make people's lives better. Also," he gestured to Yuuri's current outfit, "you clean up really nice. I mean, you always look good, but damn. You can pull of sexy  _ and _ adorable! Not many people can do that."

Yuuri covered his face with his hands, totally embarrassed. "Oh my god, stop!" 

Victor tried to pull Yuuri's hands away, but Yuuri struggled against him and somehow ended up pinned under Victor's weight. He blinked up at Victor, who was basically straddling him and holding his arms down. Something in the back of his head told him he should be uncomfortable, or embarrassed, but he found that this was right where he wanted to be. 

"What else?" Victor continued. "Oh! Today I learned that you're a great cook! And you're so thoughtful. You bought that gift for Makka and drove us to the dog park outside the city." 

"Well, I do have an ulterior motive: I'm going to steal your dog." 

"Yuuuuuuri!" Without any further warning, Victor began to tickle him, poking at his sides and stomach until he found the spots that made Yuuri squeal. Yuuri tried to fight back, but Victor was holding both of his wrists in one hand. 

Something about that made him feel butterflies in his stomach, his heart racing. "Ok, ok! I give! You win!"

Victor collapsed on Yuuri's chest, releasing his wrists. He shifted so his face was nuzzling Yuuri's neck. Yuuri could feel Victor's hot breath on his pulse, giving him goosebumps. Something in his brain was telling him to hold on to the other man and never let go.

Victor shifted again so he could look Yuuri in the eyes, smiling gently. He was still laying on top of Yuuri, their faces just inches a part. For some reason, there was a voice in his head (that sort of sounded like Phichit) telling him to lean forward and...

...and what? Where was that thought going? 

"I know I've said it before, but I'm so glad I met you."

Yuuri smiled, reaching up a hand to rest on Victor's cheek. Victor leaned into the touch. "And I'm still really glad that I met you too." 

Victor sighed happily, then laid his head back down on Yuuri's chest. It wasn't long before the sound of the other man's gentle breathing had Yuuri lulled to sleep. 

\------------------------

Yuuri awoke to a warm, pleasant weight on his chest. He opened his eyes to the sight of Victor curled up on his chest, his face illuminated by the soft morning light. It made Yuuri's breath catch, seeing Victor so peaceful.

The change in Yuuri's breathing must have roused Victor, because moments later, his eyes were fluttering open. He craned his neck to look up at Yuuri, smiling warmly. "Good morning," Victor greeted, his voice still gravelly with sleep. Yuuri couldn't help the shiver that went down his spine at the tone of Victor's voice.

"Good morning," Yuuri responded. 

Victor shifted off of Yuuri and into a sitting position, stretching with his arms above his head and yawning. Yuuri sat up and mirrored him, feeling slightly stiff after sleeping on their lumpy couch. 

"Do you need to get back to Makka?"

Victor nodded. "Yeah. I texted Chris when we started drinking last night and he said he'd take care of her until I come back but I don't want to take advantage of him."

"Understandable. Do you want breakfast before you--"

The lock clicked and the door swung open, interrupting Yuuri's question. Anna stepped inside, pausing when she noticed Yuuri and Victor sitting on the couch. She looked them up and down, taking obvious note of their rumpled appearances and bed head. She frowned, but didn't say anything.

He and Victor exchanged a look. "Hey," Yuuri greeted her. 

"Hi," she said flatly. 

Yuuri could see out of the corner of his eye that Victor was scowling, but Yuuri wasn't really sure why. "Oh, this is my friend Victor I told you about. Victor, this is my wife, Anna." 

"Nice to meet you," Anna said warily. Victor said nothing, narrowing his eyes. 

Yuuri looked back and forth between his friend and his wife, feeling the tension in the room growing. "Um. There's leftovers in the fridge if you're hungry." 

Anna didn't take her eyes off Victor and responded, "Not really. Do I know you from somewhere?"

"Nope," Victor hissed.

Yuuri was taken aback by his tone. He'd never heard Victor sound so angry before, and he couldn't figure out what the older man's problem was. "Uh...do you want to join us for breakfast, Anna?"

Anna's glare turned to him. "No, Yuuri. I just said I wasn't hungry." 

Yuuri flinched, and Victor tensed beside him. “R-right. Sorry.” 

Victor’s jaw was clenched, and he looked like he wanted to say something, but he refrained. He kept glancing between Yuuri and Anna, a frown on his face.

“Would you excuse us?” Anna addressed Victor.

Victor seemed unhappy with Anna’s request, looking at Yuuri for reassurance. "Victor," Yuuri said quietly, placing a hand on his friend's shoulder. "I...I think you should go." Victor's expression softened. 

"Are you sure? Will you be ok?" 

"Yeah. Anna and I just need to talk about some stuff."

Victor looked like he wanted to argue, but ultimately, he sighed and started walking toward the door, putting on his shoes. Yuuri got up and followed him. He glanced at his wife, who was frowning at Victor.

"I'll walk you to your car." 

Victor glared at Anna, then followed Yuuri out the door. He was tense, but he looked more sad than angry at this point. Yuuri wasn't sure exactly where he was falling on that spectrum. His emotions were warring in his mind, and he was struggling to sort out what he was feeling. Once they reached Victor's car, Yuuri turned to walk away without saying a word. A hand caught his wrist.

"Yuuri, wait. Are you sure you’re going to be ok?" 

Yuuri yanked his wrist out of Victor's grasp. "Don't." 

"Yuuri..." Victor pleaded. 

"What was that about? You weren’t exactly being friendly,” Yuuri said irritably.

“I’m sorry. I just knew how upset you were about her bailing on date night, so it really bothered me to see her so nonchalant about it.”

“Growling at her didn’t help anything.”

"I'm really sorry." He sniffled. "Are...are we ok?"

Some of Yuuri’s anger faded into confusion. "What?"

"Did I mess everything up?" 

Yuuri's heart broke, and he cupped Victor's face in his hands. "Victor, no. You didn't mess anything up. You just..."

"Went a little overboard?" Victor guessed.

"Yeah..." Yuuri confirmed. 

"Sorry."

"I forgive you. How could I be mad at your for caring so much about me?" He chuckled slightly, and Victor smiled sadly in response. "Just...maybe be nicer to my wife in the future, ok?"

"Ok." 

Realizing he was still cupping Victor's face with his hands, Yuuri pulled back with a blush. "Um. I have to go deal with this." 

"Right. I'll text you later?" Victor asked timidly.

"Sure. Just...give me a little time to sort things out."

Victor nodded. "I will." He turned to open his car door.

"Victor?" 

Victor stopped and turned back toward Yuuri. "Yes?" 

Yuuri rushed forward, pulling Victor into a hug. Victor returned the embrace enthusiastically. "I meant it when I said that I wanted you to feel comfortable telling me what you are feeling. This doesn't change that, ok?"

Victor squeezed him harder. "Ok. Thank you." 

They continued to hold each other, until Yuuri knew he was on borrowed time. He reluctantly pulled back from the other man. "I have to go."

"If you need anything, let me know. Any time of day," Victor promised. 

Yuuri nodded, then turned away from Victor before he felt the need to pull him into another hug. He heard the sound of a car door closing, and an engine starting. Yuuri looked over his shoulder and saw Victor watching him walk back to his building. He offered a small smile and a wave, which Victor returned with the same expression. Once he turned away, he braced himself, and walked sullenly back to his apartment. With a deep breath, he opened the door and stepped inside. 

Anna was in the same spot, waiting for him. She had a foul expression on her face, and Yuuri knew that whatever conversation that followed would not go well. 

"So, that's Victor?" 

Yuuri nodded. "Yeah. That's Victor." 

"How did you meet again?" 

"Through a mutual friend," Yuuri said carefully. 

"Do you often spend the night on the couch with Victor?"

Yuuri frowned, not liking her implication. "What? No, we just fell asleep after drinking champagne."

"You too seem awfully close," she said accusingly. 

"We are. He's a good friend." 

"Just a friend?" 

All of Yuuri's thoughts crashed to a screeching halt. "What are you trying to say?"

"I think you know." 

There was a part of Yuuri that just wanted to scream,  _ hypocrite _ . Was Anna really accusing _ him _ of cheating, when she had been spending the past few months screwing another guy? Yuuri had been patient, so patient, but Anna accusing  _ him _ of being unfaithful made him hit a breaking point.

"Are you seriously asking that? How could you think that I would ever do that to you?" He tried to keep his voice level, but he could hear himself getting angry.

"What else am I supposed to think? You're wearing nice clothes, you made a romantic dinner,” she gestured to the candles on the table, “and you clearly slept on our tiny couch together." She crossed her arms. "And I saw you outside together, through the window. That was quite the tender moment." 

"Clothes that I picked out for you! A dinner that I made for you! I invited Victor over because you decided to go out somewhere and not tell me you weren't coming home!" Yuuri clenched his fists. "It was better than sitting alone in this apartment  _ again _ wondering why my wife won't spend time with me anymore." He tried to keep the tears at bay, but he couldn't keep it bottled up anymore. It was just too much, for too long. Yuuri wrapped his arms around himself and sobbed. 

Anna sighed. "Yuuri, come on. Don't cry." 

The request only made Yuuri cry harder. His breath was coming in short gasps, and he knew he was having a panic attack. He could vaguely hear his name being called, but he couldn't stop his panic enough to respond. Yuuri wasn't sure how long it went on, but eventually, he came to. At some point, he had slid down onto the floor and was leaning against the wall. 

"Here." Yuuri startled at Anna's voice. She was walking toward him, a mug of steaming tea in her hands.

"Thanks," he said weakly, taking the tea from her. Anna sat down in front of him, cross-legged. The tea was too hot to drink, but breathing in the scent of chamomile still helped clear his head. "I'm sorry," he said again.

"I know. I’m sorry too." 

Yuuri gripped the mug in both hands, appreciating the warmth. "What now?"

Anna thought for a moment, then said, "We can have date night on Thursday if you want."

Yuuri smiled. "Ok, Thursday night." 

"It’s a date. But Yuuri?"

Yuuri responded with a hum.

"Don't invite Victor over here again." 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next time: karaoke, dogs, and revelations


	4. Before He Cheats

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Karaoke, pining, and dogs, oh my!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello again! Thank you all for your kudos and comments, they are always appreciated! I'm so happy to hear people are invested in this fic. I am just barely one chapter away from having the whole thing written, and I hope you will all be happy with the direction everything goes. The next few chapters are probably my favorite in the whole fic :) 
> 
> Please note change in tags!

Days later, things were still awkward between Yuuri and Victor. He and Victor still texted every day, but the normally enthusiastic man's texts were subdued. No emojis, no sweet words, no pictures of Makka. On the bright side, Yuuri and Anna’s date at the Detroit Institute of Art had gone well. They weren’t as carefree as they used to be, but they both enjoyed each other’s company, and even kissed at the end of the night. It was just a peck on the lips, but Yuuri felt positive that it was a step in the right direction. 

As they were leaving, Yuuri gently grabbed Anna’s arm just before they walked out the door of the museum. “I know things have been kind of weird with us lately, so I’m sorry for whatever I’ve done to push you away. It wasn’t intentional, I promise.” 

Anna looked at him curiously. “I don’t know what you mean, everything is fine.” 

“Are you sure?” 

“Positive,” she responded. “Don’t worry so much,” Anna said with a reassuring smile. 

Yuuri sighed, feeling discouraged, and gave up trying to get his wife to confess her infidelity. He moved onto his next problem: karaoke with Victor. 

Yuuri had been looking forward to karaoke with Victor since the man had invited him more than a week prior, but now he wasn't even sure if he should go. Things were still weird between them, and Anna didn’t seem thrilled about Yuuri being drunk around Victor. Yuuri had to make sure that she never talked to Phichit about Victor, because he knew that his best friend would be more than happy to explain his theory about Yuuri being attracted to the other man. 

Yuuri had thought about cancelling on Victor, but Phichit kept insisting that he should go, and reminded him how excited he had been. He wanted to go, but he was afraid that Victor had changed his mind about wanting Yuuri to be there. Ultimately, he knew he’d regret it if he stayed home. 

**Yuuri** : What should I wear? What is the dress code for karaoke?

**Phichit** : Something HOT

**Yuuri** : Well, that rules out everything in my wardrobe...

**Phichit** : What about those skinny jeans I bought you? They make your ass look phenomenal ;) 

**Yuuri** : idk. Maybe I should just go with something basic

**Phichit** : That's it. I'm coming over before you show up dressed like a frumpy old man

**Yuuri** : My clothes aren't frumpy...

**Phichit** : If you say so ¯\\_(ツ)_/¯

**Yuuri** : Phichit.

**Phichit** : Already on my way!

Yuuri chuckled and shook his head. Phichit was a force of nature when he wanted to be. There was no talking him out of something once he decided to do it. 

"Anna?" he called down the hall.

"Yeah?" The response came from the living room. 

"Just wanted to let you know that Phichit is on his way over."

"Ok. Thanks for letting me know."

She didn't say anything else, so Yuuri decided to continue to peruse his closet. He picked out a couple of outfits that he liked, including the skinny jeans Phichit mentioned. When he thought he had a good selection, he decided to put his contacts in. He wasn't sure how rowdy the karaoke bar would be, so he thought it would be a good idea to leave his glasses at home to keep them from getting broken or scratched. 

He was just finishing putting in his last contact when he heard knocking, followed by a buzz on his phone. Anna must have answered, because he heard her greeting Phichit, and then she sent him to the bedroom. Yuuri emerged just in time to see his friend grinning at him, looking well-dressed. Yuuri jokingly catcalled him, and Phichit spun around to show off his new outfit.

"Looking good!" 

Phichit grinned. "Thanks. Now, let's get you looking the same!"

"Here's those jeans you mentioned, and then I pulled out a few shirts to pick from." Yuuri gestured to the clothes laid out on his bed.

Phichit examined them, then shook his head. "None of these will work!"

"Why not?"

"They're not the right look. I knew you would have dressed frumpy without me!"

Yuuri frowned. "What's wrong with my shirts?"

Phichit patted him on the head. "Everything, Yuuri. Everything. Now," he pushed Yuuri away from the closet, "go put those jeans on, and let me find a top to go with them!"

Sighing in defeat, Yuuri did as he was told. Once the jeans were on, Phichit tossed a shirt at him, briefly covering his face. Yuuri tried to protest, but a second, closely followed by a third, followed shortly after.

"Start with those." 

One by one, Yuuri tried the shirts on. Phichit didn't like any of them, so he kept pulling more clothes out of Yuuri's closet and muttering that he should have brought his own. Finally, Phichit tossed Yuuri a light colored button up that complemented the dark jeans. Yuuri was about to button the last few top buttons, when Phichit slapped his hands away.

"Leave it like that. It's sexy."

"If you say so," Yuuri said with a shrug. "I'm just gonna gel my hair back, and then we can go."

"Great idea! Victor will love that!"

Yuuri flinched. "Don't talk about Victor so loud. Anna’s been weird about him since their awkward meeting the other day. I’m just trying to keep the peace.” Yuuri had, of course, told Phichit all about what had happened. 

Phichit rolled his eyes. "I still can't believe your wife and your secret boyfriend got into a fight over you."

"Don't call him that. And that’s definitely not what happened." Yuuri sighed. “Just be careful saying that kind of stuff around Anna. She’s being weird about me hanging out with Victor and I don’t want her to think you’re serious.”

"Who says I wasn't serious?" Phichit countered. Yuuri just gave him a look, retreating to the bathroom to work on his hair. 

"Should I order the Lyft, then?"

"Yeah, go ahead," Yuuri responded from the bathroom.

As soon as he felt satisfied, he gave himself a final once over in the mirror, then returned to Phichit. His friend whistled appreciatively. "Damn, Yuuri. You look hot as fuck." 

Yuuri blushed. "I doubt it." 

"You do, trust me. You-know-who is going to freak," Phichit replied, not even bothering to hide who he was talking about.

"I doubt that too."

Phichit huffed. "Whatever you say." His phone buzzed. "Looks like our ride is here. Ready?"

"Yeah," Yuuri confirmed. 

The two checked themselves in the bedroom mirror one more time, then made their way to the door. Anna looked up from the TV when she heard them, her eyebrows furrowed. "You really dressed up," she commented. 

Yuuri shrugged. "Phichit picked it out. I just go along with what he says." 

"Hm." 

Phichit tugged at his sleeve. "The car is waiting for us."

"Oh, right. Don't wait up, I'll be back late. Love you."

Anna grunted in response. 

As soon as they were out the door, Phichit gave him a concerned look. "Dude, seriously? Why are you still putting up with that?"

"With what?" Yuuri asked with a confused frown.

"What do you mean, 'with what'?" Phichit responded indignantly as they climbed into the Lyft. 

"I don't know what you're talking about."

"Uhh how about the ice show I just witnessed? Like damn, you could drive a Zamboni through that apartment."

"She was just tired," Yuuri defended. 

"Up too late fucking someone else?"

"Phichit."

"Don't 'Phichit' me. No wonder Victor was pissed at her."

"Can we not bring that up?" Yuuri snapped. 

"Ok, fine." 

The rest of the ride was silent, and the driver kept looking in the rearview mirror with pity in his eyes. Yuuri tried to ignore him, and he also tried to ignore the growing feeling of dread. He hadn't been this nervous to see Victor since they first met. 

Yuuri didn't have a lot of time to reflect on his feelings, because the Lyft pulled up outside the bar sooner than Yuuri expected. He wasn't sure if he wanted to rush inside to escape the awkwardness with Phichit, or drag his feet to avoid the awkwardness with Victor. 

He settled for pushing his way inside so he could get a drink, or two. Yuuri had already downed two tequila shots when a familiar voice asked, "How about a blowjob?"

Yuuri was glad he wasn't drinking something at that moment, because he started sputtering. "What?!" He turned to face Victor, eyes wide.

Victor laughed. "The cocktail." He leaned in so he could speak directly in Yuuri's ear. "Or were you thinking of something else?"

"No!" Yuuri waved his hands frantically.

Victor just laughed harder. "Yuuuuuri! I'm only kidding!" He leaned into the younger man, and Yuuri caught the scent of alcohol on Victor's breath. 

"Are you drunk already?"

"Just tipsy. I was waiting for you to drink more." 

"Ah."

"The next one's on me." Victor leaned over the bar to get the bartender's attention. The bar was crowded, and he had to get close enough to Yuuri that their bodies were brushing, and Yuuri got a deep whiff of Victor's cologne. The smell gave him goosebumps. 

Victor received both of their drinks, and handed one glass to Yuuri. Yuuri eyed it cautiously. "What is it?" he asked. 

"Screwdriver. Vodka and orange juice," Victor replied.

Yuuri hummed in approval, then started to sip. Victor mirrored him, but he didn't take his eyes off Yuuri. Yuuri knew that they were due for a talk. He sighed, setting his drink down on the bar. Victor must have anticipated what was coming, because he did the same. They stared at each other for a few moments, letting the sounds of someone's drunken, off-key singing fill the space between them. When they tried to speak, they both ended up trying to talk at the same time.

They both laughed awkwardly. "You first," Victor requested.

Yuuri swallowed the lump in his throat. "Are...are you mad at me?"

Victor cocked his head, looking enough like Makkachin that Yuuri had to suppress a giggle. "What? Why would I be mad at you?"

"I don't know but...you haven't been the same since you met Anna. You just seem like you're holding back when you text me," Yuuri confessed. "Was I too harsh? I don't want to be like Sebastian and make you afraid to talk to me. I'm so sorry, Victor." 

Victor reached out and grabbed both of his hands, squeezing. Yuuri linked their fingers together without thinking. "Yuuri, I'm sorry I made you worry. I just thought you might want space after what happened. I never wanted to cause more problems with you and Anna." 

Yuuri bit his lip. "So...you still want me here?"

Victor held one of Yuuri's hands up to his lips and kissed it sweetly. "Of course I do. I always will." 

Yuuri gasped quietly, a blush staining his cheeks. Victor was smiling warmly at him. "Oh," was all Yuuri could say while his brain was short-circuiting. It must be the alcohol, that was the only possible explanation. 

"Mhm. So," Victor continued, "shall I introduce you to Chris?"

"Oh, right! I need to find Phichit too. I may have abandoned him when I came in." Yuuri rubbed his neck sheepishly.

Victor chuckled. "I'm sure he'll turn up. Let's drop our drinks off at the table and look for him?"

Yuuri nodded, then picked up his drink to follow Victor through the crowd. A few people bumped into them, so Victor grabbed his hand to keep them from getting separated. The pair made their way to a booth in the back, where a blond man was nursing a drink and chatting with Phichit. Yuuri brightened at the sight of his friend.

Phichit and the other man looked up, waving in greeting. "Yuuri, this is Chris. Chris, this is Yuuri. And you must be Phichit?" Victor and Phichit shook hands, while Yuuri and Chris did the same. Chris held Yuuri's hand, pressing a kiss to his knuckles. Unlike when Victor performed the same gesture, Chris held his lips to Yuuri's skin longer than necessary, winking when he made eye contact. 

"Ok, that's enough, Chris," Victor scolded his friend, frowning slightly. 

Chris leaned back, hands held up in surrender. "Excuse me. Didn't mean to make you possessive, Victor." He turned to Yuuri. "It's wonderful to finally meet you. I must say, you're even lovelier than Victor described."

Yuuri blushed. "Oh. It's nice to meet you too. I've heard a lot about you. And happy birthday." He could hear Phichit snickering. 

"So," Phichit said impatiently, "now that we're all here, should we start some karaoke?"

The other three men all murmured in agreement. "Yes, now that you two decided to grace us with your presence, we could get started," Chris joked, scooting over to make room at their booth.

Phichit and Chris were sitting next to each other with a pair of empty glasses between them, in addition to their current drinks. Victor sat down next to Chris, and Yuuri followed him in. They ended up with their sides touching, and Yuuri leaned into the contact. They all sipped their drinks for a while, getting to know each other.

"How long have you and Victor known each other?" Yuuri directed his question at Chris.

"We grew up together. I moved to Marquette when I was about 8. Victor and I went to the same school from elementary through high school," Chris explained. 

"Oh, that's sort of like Yuuri and I. We were neighbors. Our parents have pictures of us together in diapers," Phichit grinned at Yuuri as he explained. 

"Then you know Mila, right?" Yuuri asked Chris.

"I do. How do you know her?"

"She's dating our friend Sara. Phichit and I met her last week, actually."

Victor nodded. "She told me all about it. Said you made a great first impression, Yuuri." He elbowed Yuuri playfully.

"She seems very nice," Yuuri commented. Phichit nodded in agreement.

"She is," Victor confirmed. "She's quite a bit younger than us, so we didn't really know each other when we were kids. It's funny that we all ended up in the same place. I remember Chris and I swearing that we would never move below the bridge."

"It's not so bad down here," Phichit joked. 

"It has its perks." Victor looked at Yuuri when he spoke. 

For the umpteenth time that night, Yuuri felt himself blush again. Phichit kicked him under the table, and Yuuri looked up to see Phichit waggling his eyebrows. He glared playfully at Phichit, and Phichit returned the gesture with a grin. 

"Well, I think I'm ready for another drink. And some karaoke. Victor, care to choose a few songs with me?" Chris gestured to his friend.

Victor nodded. "Do you want us to sign you two up for anything?"

"Any 80s power ballad," Phichit said firmly.

Victor laughed. "Will do. Yuuri?"

"Um, I think I need more alcohol first."

"I will come back with another drink then." Victor winked at him, and he and Chris walked away.

Yuuri turned to Phichit. "Chris seems nice."

Phichit nodded. "He is. We chatted a lot before you guys got here."

"I'm really sorry I left you. I just really needed a drink."

"No worries, can't say I blame you. You've got some serious shit you're dealing with right now. Go crazy tonight, we're not driving."

"True," Yuuri said contemplatively. Just as he was about to flag down their waiter, Victor appeared with two more cocktails, handing one to Yuuri and keeping one for himself. Yuuri accepted it gratefully. "Thanks."

Victor smiled. "No problem. Sex On the Beach this time." 

Yuuri hummed in approval, and Chris sat down next to Phichit shortly after. "I hope ‘Total Eclipse of the Heart’ is enough of an 80s power ballad for you."

Phichit gave him a thumbs up. "Perfect!" 

The four of them chatted more, taking turns on stage, and continuing to drink themselves silly. Yuuri was enjoying getting to know Chris, and he saw Victor and Phichit laughing together. He smiled, happy knowing that his best friend approved. Victor got on stage first, singing "I Want It That Way" by the Backstreet Boys. Phichit followed with his power ballad, and Chris and Victor rounded off the group with a duet of "Bohemian Rhapsody". Yuuri and Phichit were clutching their sides with laughter after that. 

By then, Yuuri was drunk enough that he was ready to get on stage. He and Phichit sang "I'll Make a Man Out of You" from Mulan, and then the four of them all sang "Don't Stop Believing". After Victor finished singing "It's Raining Men", and Chris and Phichit were butchering "Baby Got Back", Victor dropped down into the booth and leaned his head onto Yuuri’s shoulder. 

"Yuuuuuri! I'm so glad you're here!" He nuzzled Yuuri's neck.

Yuuri leaned his head onto Victor's head. "Me too."

"I picked the perfect song for youuu." Victor grinned and booped his nose.

Yuuri giggled and playfully swatted at his hand. "Victooooor. Nooooo. I don't do solo acts." 

"But you have to! It's the perfect song for you!" Victor insisted. 

"Fiiiiiine. But only because I like you." 

Victor made a pleased noise, and tackled Yuuri into the booth. He wrapped his arms around Yuuri, just like the night they cuddled on the couch. Yuuri laughed, cupping Victor's cheeks. He accidentally squeezed harder than he meant to, making Victor's cheeks squish like a fish. They both laughed. 

"You're my most favorite person," Yuuri announced. 

Victor squealed in delight, hugging him harder. "You're my most favorite person too! But you're not getting out of singing this song." He pulled himself off of Yuuri, teetering a little. Yuuri whined at the loss of contact. 

"Pull me up!" Yuuri demanded. Victor complied, grabbing Yuuri's outstretched hand and pulling him up. He pulled too hard, and Yuuri ended up face planting in Victor's lap. He nuzzled Victor's legs, humming contentedly, and the older man stiffened. Yuuri's drunk brain was logical enough to realize where his face was, and he pushed himself up, embarrassed. Victor's entire face was flushed. 

"Whoops," Yuuri slurred. 

"Yeah, whoops." Victor coughed. "Uh, it should be your turn soon." 

"Oook." Yuuri stood up, wobbling a little. He made his way over to the stage, and was immediately ushered up to the mic. He heard Phichit whoop from somewhere in the audience, and he was able to pick out Victor's distinctive silver hair. He waved in their general direction, then settled in as the music started. He recognized the popular country song immediately, but it took him a few lines to get into it.

_ Right now, he's probably slow dancing _

_ With a bleached-blond tramp _

_ And she's probably getting frisky _

_ Right now, he's probably buying _

_ Her some fruity little drink _

_ 'Cause she can't shoot whiskey _

He was little off-tempo at first, caught by surprise by Victor's song choice, but he quickly got back into the flow of the song.

_ Right now, he's probably up behind her _

_ With a pool-stick _

_ Showing her how to shoot a combo _

_ And he don't know _

_ I dug my key into the side _

_ Of his pretty little souped-up four-wheel drive _

_ Carved my name into his leather seats _

_ I took a Louisville slugger to both head lights _

_ I slashed a hole in all four tires _

_ Maybe next time he'll think before he cheats _

Yuuri belted the lyrics, and he heard his friends cheering somewhere in the audience. 

_ Right now, she's probably up singing some _

_ White-trash version of Shania karaoke _

_ Right now, she's probably saying "I'm drunk" _

_ And he's a-thinking that he's gonna get lucky _

_ Right now, he's probably _

_ Dabbing on three dollars _

_ Worth of that bathroom Polo _

_ Oh, and he don't know _

It was a popular song, and Yuuri was drunk enough that he was throwing in a few hair flips and power strides, so the audience was going wild.

_ That I dug my key into the side _

_ Of his pretty little souped-up four-wheel drive _

_ Carved my name into his leather seats _

_ I took a Louisville slugger to both head lights _

_ I slashed a hole in all four tires _

_ Maybe next time he'll think before he cheats _

_ I might have saved a little trouble for the next girl _

_ 'Cause the next time that he cheats _

_ Oh, you know it won't be on me! _

_ No, not on me _

At the final chorus, Yuuri had the entire crowd singing along with him.

_ 'Cause I dug my key into the side _

_ Of his pretty little souped-up four-wheel drive _

_ Carved my name into his leather seats _

_ I took a Louisville slugger to both head lights _

_ I slashed a hole in all four tires _

_ Maybe next time he'll think before he cheats _

_ Oh, maybe next time he'll think before he cheats _

_ Oh, before he cheats _

_ Oh _

The music stopped, and the audience went wild. Yuuri descended the stage, and saw his friends waiting for him. He only had eyes for Victor, whose arms he immediately launched himself into. Victor spun him around a few times, both of them laughing, before putting him back on the ground. 

"I think," Yuuri said between breaths of laughter, "that was a good song choice."

Victor nodded. "Yes, I thought it was very relevant. Hopefully inspirational," he said with a wink.

Yuuri clung to Victor, leaning his head onto the older man's chest. He could hear the pounding of Victor's heart. Someone else got on stage and started singing, but Yuuri didn't want to detach himself from Victor. Victor was holding him, and they were swaying lightly, partly because of the alcohol, and partly because of the music. 

"I kept meaning to tell you, but I couldn't find a good time: you look amazing tonight. I haven't been able to take my eyes off you," Victor admitted. 

Yuuri stood on his tiptoes to whisper in Victor's ear, "I never want you to." 

\------------------------

Yuuri clasped Victor’s face between his hands, gazing up into the most beautiful face. Victor’s eyes were so blue, and his hair was so soft under Yuuri’s fingers. His lips were parted slightly, and his breaths tickled Yuuri’s fringe just slightly. Victor’s hands slid around Yuuri’s waist, pulling him into Victor’s firm chest, nothing at all like Anna’s softness. There was something extremely comforting in the way Victor’s strong arms held Yuuri, something that felt almost safe.

Their lips met, and it was somehow both incredibly soft and unbelievably sexy. Victor’s cologne filled his nostrils. Heat radiated from Victor’s lips throughout Yuuri’s body. Victor pressed closer again, until they were skin to skin, all clothing abandoned. Yuuri reveled in the smooth slide of Victor’s hands over his body, and the feel of Victor’s lips as he traced kisses over Yuuri’s neck and shoulders. Dimly, he wondered what had happened to all their clothing, but the thought whirled away as Victor’s pulsing cock slid over his own. Yuuri shivered and moaned in Victor’s arms, hips bucking against the other man. Victor’s hand slid between them, wrapping around both of their erections at once. He slid teasing fingers over them before tightening his hold. Yuuri’s hips moved on their own and he strained after release. Already he felt so close, though something was holding him back. Somehow, he just couldn’t quite reach that apex, even as Victor’s hands continued to roam over his body and jerk him off. Soon Victor’s moans were joining his, and he was thrusting against Yuuri in a shared rhythm that set Yuuri’s blood on fire. He had almost reached the peak he was straining for when he felt the warmth of Victor’s release combined with the other man’s shuddering moan as he came all over both of their hands. 

Yuuri gasped and stiffened, abruptly returning to consciousness as he spurted come into his underwear from where he had been humping the bed. He rolled onto his back, chest still heaving, sweat and come sticking his clothing to him. His first thought was,  _ what the fuck. _ His second thought was,  _ I wish that had been real. _

The realization hit Yuuri hard. He glanced over at Anna, whose face was barely illuminated by the glow of the digital clock. She was still sound asleep, her breathing deep and even. Moving slowly to keep the mattress from moving too much, Yuuri rolled himself out of bed and crept into the bathroom. He gently shut the door, then turned the shower on. He debated a cold shower, but it seemed unnecessary at that point, so he let the water warm up and stripped out of his soiled clothes.

He hadn't had a dream like that since he was a teenager, and he'd certainly never had one about his wife. Yuuri wanted to be ashamed, or angry at himself, but he couldn't feel anything except heavy disappointment, because he was desperately wishing his dream could be a reality.

Yuuri let the warm water wash over his already hot skin, mulling over the implications of his realization. He couldn't deny that he was attracted to Victor anymore. In hindsight, it did seem rather obvious. The way Victor's smile made his heart flutter, and how he felt so at home in the other man's arms. He could practically hear Phichit's inevitable "I told you so." 

Sighing, Yuuri scrubbed himself with soap while he contemplated what to do next. Really, what could he do? It wasn't like anything could come of his attraction to Victor. He was still married, and there was no way Victor felt the same, anyway. How could someone so wonderful, so beautiful possibly have feelings for plain Yuuri, who couldn't even keep his wife satisfied? 

Yuuri put a hand over his mouth to cover a sob. This was going to ruin everything. He would just have to keep it a secret from everyone. Well, almost everyone. There was one person that Yuuri could never keep secrets from.

Once his emotions felt more in control, Yuuri turned off the water and toweled himself off. He slipped out of the bathroom, tiptoeing to avoid waking Anna, who was miraculously still asleep. After putting on a new pair of pajamas and throwing his dirty clothes into the laundry hamper, Yuuri slid back under the sheets, grabbing his phone and turning the brightness to the lowest setting to send one text.

**Yuuri** : I owe you $10. 

It seemed like his thoughts would never shut off, but eventually, Yuuri fell into a fitful sleep. In the morning, he wasn't sure if he was relieved or disappointed that he didn't have another dream about Victor. 

Yuuri groaned, still groggy from sleep. He didn't know what time it was or how long he actually slept, but judging by how drained he felt, he guessed that he hadn't gotten a full 8 hours. He flopped onto his stomach, burying his face in his pillow. All he wanted to do was fall back asleep, but a buzz from his phone caught his attention.

Blinking sleepily, Yuuri leaned over the nightstand to grab his phone. He wasn't surprised to see that Phichit had texted him back. Successive buzzes followed the first, and Yuuri could already guess that Phichit was freaking out. A quick glance to the other side of the bed revealed Anna already up and about. Today was an early work day for her, so he wasn't surprised to find her gone. Yuuri had 30 minutes before his alarm would go off, so he took the time to catch up with Phichit. 

**Phichit** WHAT?????

**Phichit** : EXPLAIN. 

**Phichit:** NOW.

**Yuuri** : Well...I had this dream last night...

**Phichit** : OMG. Did you have a sex dream about Victor???

**Yuuri** : ...yeah

**Phichit** : OMG 

**Phichit** : I'M SO PROUD

**Phichit** : Must've been some dream ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)

**Yuuri** : It was...

**Phichit** : Damn son! 

**Phichit** : So what now? Besides me being a little bit richer ;) 

**Yuuri** : Now nothing.

**Phichit** : ????

**Phichit:** But I thought you realized your feelings for Victor...?

**Yuuri** : I did. And by the way, you don't need to tell me you told me so. I get it. It seems obvious now. 

**Phichit** : Well, I did tell you so! But regardless, why aren't you going to do anything???

**Yuuri** : What am I supposed to do? I'm still with Anna, and I don't plan to change that. Plus, there's no way Victor feels the same.

**Yuuri** : I mean, have you seen him???

**Phichit** : Yeah, I SAW him all over you. He's clearly into you! 

**Yuuri** : Definitely not.

**Phichit:** Oh please, I saw you two together. He was making do-me eyes at you all night, and constantly touching you. He wants a taste of Yuuri ;) 

**Yuuri** : Ok, weird description 

**Yuuri** : But no. 

**Yuuri** : Also, you're completely ignoring the fact that I'm MARRIED. And that's not going to change.

**Phichit** : Is it not...?

**Yuuri** : No. I told you that I wanted to make it work with Anna. That hasn't changed.

**Phichit** : I guess I just thought that realizing your feelings for Victor would change that.

**Yuuri** : Nope. It's just gonna have to be something I deal with, I guess. 

**Phichit** : But you're going to tell Victor, right?

**Yuuri** : NO. ABSOLUTELY NOT. 

**Phichit** : Why not?

**Yuuri** : It will make it weird. I don't want to ruin our friendship. 

**Yuuri** : He's just gonna laugh, or get weirded out if I tell him

**Phichit** : Orrrrr you'll find out that he's not-so-secretly in love with you

**Yuuri** : Ok, fine, so let's say that happens. Still doesn't change anything, except then we both have to deal with the fact that we're attracted to each other but I'm still married. How is that any better???

**Yuuri** : It's a lose-lose scenario, so definitely not gonna tell him

**Phichit** : Alright, if you say so

**Phichit** : But you still owe me $10

Yuuri snorted, rolling his eyes before confirming that he would indeed honor the bet. Then, he began thinking about what he wanted to do about Victor. Part of Yuuri wanted to throw his phone away and never text Victor again, to make sure the other man never found out about his feelings. Logically, Yuuri knew that wasn’t a good solution, and he didn’t want to give up talking to Victor, anyway. So, Yuuri decided to be as aggressively normal as possible.

**Yuuri** : Hey, buddy. Pal. Amigo. How’s it going?

_ Shit! Too much! _

**Yuuri** : Er, are you out of bed yet?

**Yuuri** : Not that I’m thinking about you in bed!

**Yuuri** : I just wanted to know how you were feeling after last night?

**Yuuri** : Because of the drinks???

**Yuuri** : Ok, let me just start over: Hi Victor, how are you feeling today? 

Yuuri groaned, setting his phone aside and rolling back onto his stomach to hide his face in his pillow. So much for not making things weird. He stewed in his own shame for a few more minutes, until his alarm started shrieking at him to get up. With a sigh, Yuuri shut the alarm off with more force than necessary, then rolled out of bed. 

Glancing at his phone, which didn’t have any new messages, Yuuri padded into the bathroom to get ready for work. He didn’t need another shower, so it didn’t take long for him to be ready to throw on his work clothes and head to the kitchen for breakfast. After a bowl of cereal and some fruit, he was ready to go. Yuuri grabbed his laptop and his keys, locking the door on the way out of the apartment. He got in his car and found a suitable radio station, then checked his phone again.

Victor still hadn’t texted him back. The older man was usually an early riser, so Yuuri didn’t know how to interpret the silence. He hoped that Victor just overslept, but part of him was terrified that he pushed Victor away, either with his weird texts, or his clingy behavior the night before. 

Logically, he knew that his fear was probably spilling over from what was going on with Anna. Months of ignored and delayed texts definitely had him on edge. He wanted to believe that Victor wouldn’t just ghost him, but he had once believed that Anna would never cheat on him, so how was he supposed to actually be sure? 

Trying to push the fear out of his mind, Yuuri drove himself to work, putting his phone on “Do Not Disturb” so he wouldn’t be tempted to obsessively check. He kept glancing at his phone, and felt distracted from his work, but he successfully kept himself from looking at his text messages until lunch. During his break, Yuuri finally turned his phone back on, holding his breath in anticipation.

Yuuri’s phone buzzed with incoming texts. One was a photo from Phichit, showing off the money he had collected from their friends for losing their bet about Yuuri. He laughed, sending an eye roll emoji in response. The rest of the texts were from Victor, and Yuuri sighed in relief. 

**Victor** : Wow, that’s quite the morning greeting! 

**Victor** : I’m not gonna lie, I’m horribly hungover and I feel awful. I overslept and was late to work x_x 

Smiling, Yuuri felt his heart lighten. Victor wasn’t ignoring him, he was just sleeping off a hangover. He felt ridiculous for being worried.

**Yuuri** : Better hope your boss doesn’t find out ;) 

**Victor** : Mmmm I dunno, I’ve heard he’s quite charming. And handsome ;) 

**Yuuri** : And humble, apparently :P 

**Victor** : Yuuuuuuuri!

**Yuuri** : :P 

**Victor** : Sooooo after work do you want to go on a walk with Makka and I? It’s a nice day so I thought we could walk along the river.

**Yuuri** : Sure, sounds fun. Should I meet you at Chris’s when I get done? 

**Victor** : Yup! I’ll send you the address. See you then <3

**Yuuri** : Can’t wait <3

**Victor** : :D 

Once Yuuri had plans to see Victor, the hours felt like they were crawling by. He tried to bury himself in work to make the time go by faster, but he still kept impatiently checking the clock. He was so distracted, he was struggling to get his work done, despite the intense attention he was trying to give his current project. Mostly, he would stare at his laptop screen and start to daydream about Victor’s heart-shaped smile and sparkling blue eyes. He felt like a ridiculous lovesick teenager with a crush.

Miraculously, Yuuri was able to finish his work at a reasonable hour. He nearly forgot his laptop, because he was in such a rush to leave. Yuuri had gotten all the way to his car, before noticing his laptop bag was empty. He ran back into the building to grab it, swearing under his breath the entire time. After double checking that nothing else had been left behind, Yuuri half walked/half jogged back to his car, earning confused looks from his coworkers. 

Traffic was terrible, as always, and Yuuri was practically vibrating out of his seat by the time he pulled into Chris’s apartment complex. It was still light out, but they probably didn’t have many daylight hours left. Yuuri quickly made his way to the apartment number that Victor gave him, knocking as soon as he reached the door. It opened a few moments later, and Yuuri was immediately bowled over by a brown ball of fluff. 

“Makka, at least let poor Yuuri come inside first.” Chris pulled the excitable poodle off of him, offering a hand to help Yuuri up. 

Yuuri adjusted his glasses, which were now crooked on his face and covered in dog slobber. “Thanks.” He took Chris’s outstretched hand, gently pushing Makka down with his free hand. 

They made their way into the apartment, and Yuuri greeted Makka properly, which seemed to calm the poodle. “Who’s the best girl? Is it you? I think it is!” Yuuri cooed at Makka, who boofed in response. 

Chris chuckled. “Wow, she really likes you. Must take after her owner.” He ruffled Makka’s fur. “Victor’s busy preening at the moment, he’ll be out soon. In the meantime, can I offer you a drink? I wouldn’t mind a repeat of your karaoke performance,” Chris joked. 

Yuuri shook his head, laughing. “I think I drank enough alcohol yesterday to last the entire month. But water would be great.”

Nodding, Chris made his way into the kitchen, pulling out a glass. “What are you and Victor up to tonight?” He asked, filling the glass with water.

“We’re just taking Makka to walk along the river. It’s the perfect early summer evening.” Yuuri gave Makka one more pat, then followed Chris into the kitchen to accept the glass. His apartment was fairly small, but tastefully decorated. There were modern (and expensive) looking paintings hung up on the walls, and a few large, abstract sculptures with shelves and rope. Yuuri wasn’t sure what they were supposed to be, until he saw a fluffy, white cat lounging on one of them, then he realized that they were very fancy cat trees. 

After a few sips of water, Yuuri gestured to the cat. “Is that your cat?” he asked Chris. 

Chris nodded. “Yes. This is Belle, she’s very friendly.”

Setting his glass down, and offered a hand to the cat. She immediately leaned into his hand, rubbing on him and purring. “Awww, she’s so sweet. I’m definitely more of a dog person, but I do like cats.”

“She’s very social. Victor likes to joke that she’s secretly a dog, but I’m horrified by that suggestion.” 

“You don’t like dogs?” 

“I like dogs just fine, but I prefer when they belong to someone else. I travel a lot, so a cat is easier for me. Don’t have to worry about letting them out to use the bathroom.” He reached over to scratch Belle’s chin. “Although, she does get quite upset when I leave, so it’s been nice having Victor and Makka here to keep her company.” 

“She and Makka get along well?” Yuuri moved his attention to Makka, who had started to nudge his free hand with her nose.

“They do,” Chris confirmed, “Makka is very good with cats, and doesn’t pester her. They’ll even snuggle sometimes.”

“Awww, such good girls,” Yuuri praised. Makka wagged her tail, and Belle purred. 

“The best,” Chris agreed. “Although, Makka is a terrible food thief. Never trust her. I’m not used to having a dog around, so she keeps taking my food off the counters.”

Yuuri laughed. “I think I’ve heard a story or two about that. I heard that she got into some pot brownies once?” 

Chris grimaced. “Yeah, that was awful. Fortunately, she didn’t get too many, but they still kept her overnight at the emergency vet for observation. I think Victor was honestly more stressed than Makka. He hates being apart from her.” 

Yuuri nodded in understanding. Victor was extremely attached to Makka, and he could imagine how worried the other man must have been. 

“Did I hear my name? Were you two talking about me?” Victor’s voice called out from across the room. 

“Yes. We were sharing all your secrets,” Yuuri deadpanned. 

Victor clutched his chest, “Yuuri, I trusted you! How could you conspire against me with Chris?” he wailed in mock betrayal. 

Yuuri shook his head fondly, chuckling. “Well, Chris was actually here when I knocked.”

Victor pouted. “I was busy making myself look good for you!” He winked, flipping his hair back.

“You always look good, you goof,” Yuuri insisted, rolling his eyes. 

Beaming, Victor replied, “You hear that Chris? My Yuuri says I always look good! I want you to remember that next time you comment on my bedhead.” 

Yuuri blushed at being called “my Yuuri”, but neither Victor nor Chris seemed to notice the reddening of his cheeks. They were too busy bickering. Their friendship actually reminded Yuuri a lot of himself and Phichit. With a laugh, Yuuri placed a gentle hand on Victor’s shoulder, interrupting the banter to remind him that they were on their way out the door. 

“We’re losing daylight,” Yuuri reminded him.

Victor shrugged. “I always like seeing Windsor across the water at night, anyway. But, I don’t think Makka is too happy about waiting for her walk, so we can go.” He whistled to Makka, grabbing her leash off a hook next to the door. Makka responded by jumping excitedly all over Victor.

“Easy, Makka. You’re too old to be bouncing around like that.” Yuuri gently grabbed the poodle’s collar, holding her so Victor could clip the leash on. 

Once Makka was ready to go, Victor and Yuuri waved goodbye to Chris, then got in Victor’s car. Traffic had let up in the time Yuuri had been at Chris’s apartment, so the drive was short. After finding parking, Victor grabbed Makka’s leash and she jumped out of the car, immediately sniffing at a nearby lamppost. The three of them made their way down the RiverWalk, enjoying the last of the day’s light. 

“Did I tell you I found a new place?” Victor remarked as Makka gave up sniffing one lamp post for another.

“No, where is it?”

“A few doors down from Chris, actually,” Victor chuckled. “He just can’t get rid of me.” 

Yuuri laughed. “I doubt he would want to. When do you move in?”

“I’ve started moving my stuff already.”

“Do you need any help?”

Victor shook his head. “Not with the moving, but definitely with the set up. I hired a moving company to handle all the furniture that’s still at Seb’s, and the rest of it I’ve just been taking in shifts. It’s still a bit of a mess, but I can show you where it is when we get back. I’ll probably move in for good next week.” 

Yuuri nodded, continuing to glance at Victor out of the corner of his eye. Now that he realized his attraction toward the other man, it was like a dam had broken in his mind. He couldn’t stop noticing how beautiful Victor was, and how much his heart was racing just by being close. Yuuri liked Victor best in moments like this, humming quietly, a small smile on his face while he watched Makkachin with fond eyes. He just looked so at peace, as compared to when they first met. Yuuri hadn’t realized how fake those smiles had been, until he had moments like this for comparison. He sighed quietly, but didn’t say anything, not wanting to ruin the gentle tranquility between them. 

It was a beautiful evening, so they passed plenty of other people and dogs on the RiverWalk. Makka was torn between greeting all of the potential new friends, and nipping playfully at Yuuri and Victor. When they stopped at a park to let Makka take a water break, they were approached by a couple with a bouncy pit bull puppy who wanted to play. They let the dogs run around together, dragging their leashes behind them. Yuuri was pretty sure that they weren’t supposed to do that, but the dogs were happy and well behaved, so he wasn’t going to say anything. 

Eventually, the puppy started to outpace Makka. She sprawled out on the ground, mouthing playfully at the puppy while the younger dog darted in and out. Victor didn’t want Makka to be too tired or sore to walk back, so he stopped the game and picked up her leash. The other owners did the same and said goodbye, but the dogs seemed to have other ideas. The puppy didn’t want to leave his new friend, barking and offering another play bow. The gesture seemed to give Makka a second wind, and she whipped around to restart the game. Victor tried to block her, but only succeeded in getting her more excited, and making her zoom around him and Yuuri, her leash wrapping around both of their legs. 

Yuuri yelped in surprise as Makka pulled him down, then yelped again as he felt himself collide with Victor. Victor landed on top of him with a quiet, “oof”. Makka seemed to have given up on her mission to play with the other dog once they fell, standing calmly beside them and wagging her tail proudly. 

“Well, this is cliche,” Victor joked, wincing slightly from the fall. He was pressed on top of Yuuri, Makka’s leash even more tangled around their legs now, since they both twisted around as they fell. 

Yuuri tried to respond, but the feeling of Victor’s warm, firm body flush against his own was conjuring up unwanted images of his dream. It felt different than the night he and Victor had slept on the couch, even though they had been in similar positions. Back then, he didn’t have the memory of a dream where Victor was pressed against him like this in a very different scenario. He couldn’t stop thinking about what Victor had done to him in that dream. He couldn’t stop thinking about Victor’s hands roaming his body, Victor’s lips on his neck. Even with the cool earth digging into his back, he felt hot all over, losing himself to his fantasy. 

“...Yuuri? Yuuri? Are you ok? Did you hit your head?” Victor was staring down at him with a concerned expression, snapping Yuuri out of his daydream. 

“Huh? Oh yeah, I’m fine. Sorry, just got the wind knocked out of me,” Yuuri lied, hoping his blush would be interpreted as embarrassment because of the fall. 

“Are you both alright? We are so sorry about that! He’s still learning his manners.” The woman, whose name Yuuri hadn’t caught, was rushing over to give them a hand. 

Victor tried to shift off of him, but the leash was completely tangled around their legs. He ended up bracing his arms on either side of Yuuri’s head for balance, making Yuuri blush even more. “We’re ok. Would you mind unclipping the leash for a second and holding her so we can untangle ourselves?”

The woman nodded, grabbing Makka’s collar and releasing the leash. Once the tension was no longer on the leash, they were able to wiggle their legs out. Victor stood up first, offering Yuuri a hand. Yuuri accepted immediately. Back on their feet, Victor re-connected Makka’s leash, giving her a harsh look. 

“You’re supposed to be setting an example for the puppy! That was naughty, Makka,” Victor scolded, but Yuuri could tell he was having a hard time being serious when the poodle was staring up at him with her big, brown eyes. 

“I’m so sorry,” the woman repeated, but Victor shook his head.

“Don’t be. Makka knows better, and she was just as bad. I guess they just got along too well! No harm done, we’re all ok.” 

The woman nodded gratefully, then hurried back to her partner and their puppy, who was whining impatiently down the trail. The couple waved goodbye as they started to walk away, and Victor and Yuuri returned the gesture. 

“Well, that was exciting,” Victor said with a laugh. Yuuri was still too busy trying to get the image of Victor leaning over him out of his head to respond. 

“I guess that makes you my Anita, then?”

“What?” Yuuri finally responded. 

“You know, from 101 Dalmatians? She and Roger meet because their dogs tangled them up in their leashes.” 

Yuuri blinked at him a few times, then laughed. “I guess you’re right. But I think 101 dogs would be too many, even for us.” 

Victor chuckled. “Dalmatians, yes, but I could handle 101 poodles.” 

Yuuri rolled his eyes, dusting off his clothes. “Do you want to pick up that much dog poop? Because I don’t.”

“But don’t you want a poodle plantation? Just like the song?” Victor started singing “Dalmatian Plantation”, changing “Dalmatian” to “poodle”, even though it was the wrong number of syllables. 

Makkachin started howling, singing along with her owner. Yuuri pretended to plug his ears, and Victor responded by grabbing both of his hands so he could continue his serenade. Victor didn’t actually know all the words to “Dalmatian Plantation”, so he just started singing words that rhymed with “poodle”, whether or not they made sense. Eventually, Victor was just singing “oodles of poodles” over and over in an increasingly high tone. Yuuri laughed, pulling against Victor’s grip, but not really trying to break free. Victor responded by pulling him into a hug, holding Yuuri in place. 

“Oh my god,” Yuuri wheezed between bouts of laughter. “You’re such a dork! That was awful!” 

Victor squeezed him in response. “It was a masterpiece, don’t lie!” 

“Even Makka was trying to drown you out!”

“No, she was singing along!” 

They both laughed, and Makka jumped on them, not wanting to be left out. As they both got their laughter under control, Yuuri leaned his head onto Victor’s shoulder, wrapping his arms around the other man’s waist. “You seem happy. So much happier than when we met,” Yuuri whispered. 

He could feel the movement of Victor nodding. “I am. I didn’t realize how much I was drowning with Seb. Plus,” Victor responded just as softly, “you’ve made my life so much brighter.”

Yuuri smiled into Victor’s shoulder. “Mine too..” 

Victor chuckled, pulling out of the hug. He looked at Yuuri with a warm expression, his eyes shining. “Well, shall we head back then?” 

Yuuri nodded, smiling happily at Victor. “Yeah, it’s getting late. Let’s head back.” 

They walked back to Victor’s car, each of them with an arm thrown over the other’s shoulder. Yuuri tried to remember another time when he felt this content, but nothing came to mind. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next chapter: A discovery, a dance, and a declaration
> 
> Thank you again to BookewyrmeWritesFics for writing all the smut!


	5. Say No To This

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Yuuri has plans to surprise Anna, but finds a surprise of his own.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Gooooood morning wonderful readers! A lot happens in this chapter, I hope you enjoy :D

“I’m just saying, Khaleesi would never do that. It was totally out of character.”

Yuuri rolled his eyes. “Yes, Phichit, you’ve only told me a dozen times how unsatisfied you were with the ending of Game of Thrones. And I’m not arguing, by the way. It was awful!”

“Right, but Jaime’s character development--”

“--was thrown out the window. I know. Pun intended.” 

“Heh, good one,” Phichit snorted. 

“Why are we even talking about this again? Weren’t you telling me a story about your annoying co-worker?” 

Phichit huffed. “It’s all related! And he’s not my coworker, he’s a summer intern. He’s gotta be like 19 or something.” 

Yuuri motioned for Phichit to continue, but unpaused the game he was playing. Phichit took a few moments to watch him destroy some robot dinosaurs, before continuing, “So Seung-gil and I were complaining about the finale, because he finally got around to watching it, and JJ jumps in, grinning like an idiot. He starts going on and on about how much he loves Game of Thrones, and how great the ending was.”

“Did he actually watch it?” Yuuri asked skeptically, shooting more arrows on screen.

“He said he did! So, he totally takes over the conversation, talking about how he loved the battles, and the memorable characters. Then,” Phichit paused for dramatic effect, “he says Frodo was his favorite character. Frodo! He thought Game of Thrones and Lord of the Rings were the same thing!”

“Wow.” 

“You’re not taking this seriously!” 

“No, I’m not. Was he even alive when Lord of the Rings came out?” 

Phichit crossed his arms. “Does it matter? Game of Thrones is crazy popular! How could he not realize they aren’t the same thing?” 

Yuuri shrugged. “Maybe he doesn’t go on social media?” 

“No, that’s not true. He’s on Instagram all the time.” 

“So are you.” 

“Yeah, but,” Phichit defended, “I post important things, like pictures of my hamsters, and food. JJ just posts pictures of himself! He’s engaged, and his fiance isn’t even in 90% of what he posts!” 

“You really don’t like this guy, do you?” Yuuri swore as his character took damage. 

“He just pushes my buttons,” Phichit muttered. 

“I can see that.” Yuuri paused the game to look at Phichit again. His friend was pouting. 

“He’s annoying.”

“I believe you.” 

Phichit sighed. “Ok, I don’t want to think about JJ’s annoying face anymore. Give me some good gossip!”

Yuuri shrugged, and started the game again. “I don’t have any.” 

Phichit made a frustrated noise. “How can you not have any good gossip? Your life is basically a bad soap opera right now.” 

“I’m just dealing with it one day at a time. Anna and I have actually been doing pretty well.”

“Yeah?” Phichit asked skeptically.

“Uh huh. I have plans to surprise her tomorrow.”

“So, I guess that means you don’t want to come go-karting with me, Sara, and Mila tomorrow?”

Yuuri shook his head. “Sounds fun, but not this time. I worked really hard to plan this.”

“What are you doing?”

“Well,” Yuuri explained, “I’m trying to recreate our first date. I’m hoping it will bring some of the spark back.”

“Dancing, then?” 

Nodding, Yuuri continued, “Yeah. And I’m even going to get her the same kind of flowers. Well, at least the ones I think I remember getting her. I don’t know for sure, I was really nervous that night.” 

“I remember. I kept having to keep you from backing out.” He frowned. “Now I feel sort of bad for pushing you together so much.”

“Don’t feel bad. We’re doing fine.” 

“Riiiiight. Fine.” Phichit gave him a sharp look, which Yuuri couldn’t miss even out of the corner of his eye.

“Ok, we’ve been better,” Yuuri admitted, “but that’s why I’m hoping this will help.”

Phichit sighed. “Ok, bud. I hope it goes well.” 

“Me too.” 

Phichit watched Yuuri play for a few minutes, then the conversation picked back up because Phichit wouldn’t stop muttering about bad character writing under his breath. 

Yuuri said goodnight once it got late, and went straight to bed when he got home, since Anna was already asleep. He had taken the following day off, but he didn’t want Anna to know, so he woke up at his usual early hour. She said goodbye to him as he pretended to leave for work, even though he was actually leaving to run errands. Yuuri wanted her to think it was just a normal day, so she would be surprised when he was waiting for her with a bouquet and his suit. He had already confirmed that Anna would be home that evening, under the guise of just wanting to have dinner together. 

The first errand Yuuri ran was to pick up his suit from the dry cleaner. He hadn’t worn it since their first anniversary, so it needed a little bit of cleaning to get the musty smell out. Once he had his suit, Yuuri double checked their booking. They were all set for 7:00, so Yuuri slowly made his way home. As planned, Anna was gone by the time he got back. He went into their closet, digging out Anna’s favorite and comfiest dress, moving it closer to the door on her side so it would be visible. 

There wasn’t much else to prepare, so Yuuri decided to clean the apartment. It would be a nice surprise for Anna to come home and have their apartment be spotless. Yuuri scrubbed, dusted, and vacuumed, feeling satisfied hours later at how much cleaner the apartment looked. 

Glancing at the clock, Yuuri decided it was time to get in the shower. He even took the time to dry and style his hair once he was done, geling it back the way he had done before their failed date night a few weeks prior. Yuuri decided to put contacts in that night, leaving his glasses on his nightstand. Then, he dressed in his suit, spinning around once he was done to make sure it still fit. He hadn’t found a time to try it on before tonight, so he was hoping that it still looked ok. 

As he was smoothing a few wrinkles out, Yuuri heard his phone buzz. He picked it up, noticing a text from Victor. Yuuri smiled. 

**Victor** : Yuuuuuuri! What are you up to tonight?

**Yuuri** : This.

Yuuri sent a selfie of himself dressed up, winking at the camera. 

**Victor:** :O 

**Victor:** Wow!!!! You look incredible!!!! What’s the occasion? 

**Yuuri** : Surprising Anna :) 

**Victor** : She’s a lucky woman! You look absolutely stunning <3 

**Yuuri** : Thanks <3

**Yuuri** : Are you settled in to your new place then?

**Victor** : Yup! As much as I love Chris, it is nice having my own space.

**Yuuri** : I bet. 

**Victor** : You’ll have to come by sometime! 

**Yuuri** : I’ve already been there. Remember? I helped you unpack.

**Victor** : That doesn’t count! You need to come over just to hang out :D maybe a house-warming party? 

**Victor** : Er, apartment-warming?

**Yuuri** : Sounds like fun :) 

They texted back and forth, Yuuri feeling encouraged by Victor’s positive reaction. He lost track of time, until he realized that Anna would be home any minute, and he still had to pick up the flowers. Yuuri didn’t have time to change out of his suit, if he wanted to avoid being caught by Anna, so he rushed down to his car and drove to the flower shop in his fancy clothes. A few people gave him curious looks, but the cashier just seemed pleased to see such a romantic gesture. 

Colorful bouquet in hand, Yuuri made his way home. It wouldn’t be the same effect as waiting in the living room when Anna got home, but walking in the door almost 3 hours before he was supposed to be home would probably still be a sufficient surprise. 

Yuuri pulled into the parking lot, smoothing down a few rogue hairs. Anna’s car was parked a few spots down, so Yuuri grabbed the flowers and made his way back to their apartment. His nerves were starting to get the best of him, and he had to convince himself not to just turn back and go go-karting with Phichit. 

It would be worth it to see the look of surprise and delight on Anna’s face. With a deep breath, Yuuri let himself into the apartment, calling out in greeting. “Anna! I’m home early!” 

There was no response, so Yuuri moved further into the apartment. “Anna? Where are you?” The light in their room was on, so Yuuri pushed his way in, and immediately heard the shower running. Yuuri walked over to the door, and was raising his fist to knock, when he heard a voice from inside the bathroom. A male voice. 

Yuuri felt his blood run cold. He couldn’t understand the words over the sound of the shower or the echoing of the bathroom, but he recognized the sound of his wife’s voice responding. She was moaning. She was having sex with Sebastian in their shower. She had invited her lover over when she thought Yuuri wouldn’t be home. It felt like his heart was shattering, tears immediately filling his eyes.

He was so distraught, Yuuri really didn’t remember running back to his car. Sitting in the driver’s seat, Yuuri gasped for air, sobbing. He had to leave. He had to be somewhere else. Yuuri started his car, forcing the tears to stop long enough to drive safely. It wasn’t really a conscious decision, but before he knew it, Yuuri was parked outside Chris and Victor’s apartment complex. 

His whole body felt numb, but somehow, his legs carried him to Victor’s door. He knocked, and 30 seconds later, the person that Yuuri most wanted to see opened the door. “Yuuri? What are you doing here?” 

The tears spilled over, and Yuuri launched himself into Victor’s arms. Victor was startled for a moment, but caught him, squishing the bouquet that Yuuri had forgotten to put down between them. He wasn’t ready to form words, but he felt slightly better in the warmth of Victor’s arms. Victor let him cry into his shoulder, rubbing soothing circles into his back. 

“Shhh it’s alright. Let it out. I’m here.” Victor held him tight. 

“V-Victor. I--” Yuuri started sobbing again. 

“You don’t have to say anything. Why don’t you come inside?” Victor gently pulled him into the apartment. Yuuri went willingly, not wanting to leave Victor’s grasp. He guided both of them to the couch, sitting them down and pulling Yuuri into his lap. 

The jingle of a dog collar sounded down the hall, and Victor opened his arms slightly so Makkachin could lick Yuuri’s face. Yuuri tangled the fingers on one hand in Makka’s fur, the other still clinging onto the flowers. He continued to cry on Victor, listening to his soothing words. Eventually, he felt a tug on the bouquet he was holding. 

“I’ll just grab this from you,” Victor said softly. Yuuri relinquished the flowers, grabbing Victor’s sweater with his now free hand. 

Yuuri wasn’t sure how long he cried, but now his nose was running and his throat was dry. He sniffled, curling further into Victor and burying his face in the older man’s neck. Victor started gently massaging Yuuri’s scalp, and Yuuri relaxed slightly into the touch. “Sorry,” Yuuri rasped. 

“You have nothing to be sorry for. If you want to talk about whatever it is, I’m here to listen.” Victor said quietly, and Yuuri swore he felt a gentle kiss on the top of his head. “Would it be ok if I get up for a minute to get you some water and tissues?”

Yuuri nodded weakly, and Victor gently shifted Yuuri off of him. He immediately latched onto Makka, burying his face into her fur. A few moments later, Yuuri felt some tissues being pushed into his hand. He blew his nose, and the tissues were replaced with a glass of water, which he downed quickly. The glass was gently extracted, and Yuuri heard a clink as the glass was set on a nearby coffee table. Then Victor’s arms were around him again. Yuuri released Makka in favor of clinging onto Victor again. 

Victor hummed quietly, letting the last of Yuuri’s sobs subside. When Yuuri felt like he couldn’t cry anymore, he looked up at Victor sadly, his eyes red and cheeks tear stained. “Anna...she…” Victor held him tighter as he tried to find the words. “She brought Sebastian to our apartment.” Yuuri sniffled. “I got home and they were…” He started tearing up again. “They were together in the shower. I heard them.” 

“Oh, Yuuri. I’m so sorry,” Victor said sadly. “And after you’d planned such a grand romantic gesture, too.” 

Yuuri nodded into Victor’s neck. “The only reason I was home that early was because I was trying to surprise her. How many other times has she brought him into our home?” Yuuri suddenly leaned back. “Oh god. What if she’s been fucking him on our bed?” His breaths start coming in short gasps, the panic attack quickly gripping him. 

Heart racing, Yuuri desperately tried to slow his breathing down, but he was rapidly spiraling out of control. Victor pulled him back into his arms, cradling Yuuri’s head against his chest. “Yuuri, listen to my heart. Listen to my breathing. Focus just on that.” Victor took exaggerated breaths, and Yuuri tried to copy him. 

It was difficult at first, but gradually, he was able to match Victor’s breathing. He heard the gentle thumping of Victor’s heart, and felt every deep breath starting to meld with his own. Normally, Phichit was the only one who was any good at helping Yuuri through a panic attack. Even Anna didn’t really know what to do, and had a tendency to get frustrated because she couldn’t help. They had both agreed that it was better for her to let him ride them out. But Victor had seemed to know what would help.

Still trembling slightly, Yuuri asked weakly, “How did you know what to do?”

Victor shrugged. “Just a guess, I was honestly terrified. Was that a panic attack? I’ve never seen someone have one in person before.” 

Yuuri nodded, wiping away the fresh tears as he pulled back from Victor so he could see the other man’s face. “Yeah. Sometimes my anxiety just…” he gestured vaguely, but Victor nodded in understanding. “I’m sorry you had to deal with that. I hate that you had to see me so weak.”

Victor cupped his face. “Yuuri, look at me. You’re not weak. No one who knows you could possibly think that.” His thumb stroked Yuuri’s cheek. “You’re strong for being able to deal with that every day.”

“Well, it doesn’t get quite that bad every day,” Yuuri mumbled.

“Still.”

“I’m sorry--”

“Don’t finish that sentence,” Victor said firmly. “You have nothing to be sorry for. I’m glad you came to me. I want to be here for you.” 

“Thank you,” Yuuri whispered, offering a watery smile. “What do I do now? I kind of just want to curl up under a blanket and hide forever.”

Victor released Yuuri’s face, tapping a finger against his chin. “What were you planning to do tonight?”

“Ballroom dance lessons,” Yuuri replied with a sigh.

Victor gave him a confused look. “Didn’t you say you minored in dance?”

Yuuri nodded. “Yeah, I was trying to recreate my first date with Anna. She asked me out, and didn’t know I was a dance minor, so she asked if I wanted to take lessons with her. I was afraid that if I told her I already knew how to dance that she would think I wasn’t interested in going on a date with her, so I lied and told her I didn’t know how.” Yuuri paused, trying not to cry at how painful the formerly happy memory had become. “I pretended to be awful so she wouldn’t feel bad about being a bad dancer, until one of the instructors recognized me from class and chewed me out for having such bad form.”

Victor chuckled. “Who knew Yuuri Katsuki would lie to impress a girl?” 

Yuuri smiled sadly. “Yeah. I was really afraid of messing anything up. I felt like Anna was so far out of my league.” 

“I hope now you don’t feel like that.”

“I don’t know how I feel,” Yuuri answered honestly. “Or what to do.”

“Well,” Victor replied, “I don’t think I can tell you what to feel, but I can tell you what to do right now!” 

“What?” Yuuri answered curiously.

“Let’s go dancing!” 

Yuuri blinked at him. “What, you and me?”

Victor nodded. “Yes! I don’t know how to dance, so you could teach me! You’re all dressed up in your suit, it would be a shame for you to have dressed up for nothing. Plus,” Victor added, “if you just sit here, you’ll have all night to stew in your misery.”

“I don’t know…”

“You can stay here as long as you want. If you want to curl up in a blanket and watch sad movies with me and Makka, that’s ok too. But I think it would benefit you to get out there and distract yourself a bit. And,” Victor grinned, “you look damn good in that suit, it would be a shame for you to not show off a bit.” He winked. 

Yuuri blushed. “You don’t have to lie to make me feel better.”

“I’m not lying.” He stood up and pulled Yuuri off the couch and into his arms, swaying dramatically and making Yuuri laugh at his antics. “Yuuri Katsuki, would you do me the honor of going dancing with me?” 

“Aren’t we dancing right now?” Yuuri said with a laugh as Victor spun him in a circle enough times that Yuuri was wobbling on his feet. 

“True, but the atmosphere isn’t quite right!” Victor pulled Yuuri back into his arms, and Makka barked excitedly, jumping on her humans to get in on the game. Yuuri was still dizzy, so the force knocked him into Victor and sent them all sprawling on the couch.

They both laughed, pulling themselves upright. “Well?” Victor asked hopefully.

Yuuri waited for the room to stop spinning before replying, “Alright. Yes. Let’s do it.” 

Victor whooped happily, pulling Yuuri up and toward his bedroom. “I have to pick a suit that matches yours!”

Yuuri stumbled after him. “You don’t have to wear a suit if you don’t want to.”

Victor made an affronted noise. “Of course I want to! I always want to wear a suit!” Victor pulled open his closet, which seemed exceptionally large for the bedroom, and started sifting through various outfits. He emerged with a handful of ties, holding them up to Yuuri. 

“I have one complaint about this outfit.” He pointed to Yuuri’s tie. 

“What’s wrong with my tie?” He frowned.

“Everything. You can borrow one of mine!” Victor said cheerfully.

“I thought you said I looked good?”

“You do look good! But you’d look even better with a tie that wasn’t hideous.” He held out the selection again. 

Yuuri sighed, grabbing a darker tie to replace the light blue one he had been wearing. Victor held his hand out expectantly, and Yuuri handed him his tie. Victor made a face like the tie personally offended him, then disappeared into his closet. He reappeared holding a suit that would compliment Yuuri’s outfit perfectly. Yuuri gulped at the thought of seeing Victor dressed up so formally. 

Victor smoothed down a few pieces of hair on Yuuri’s head. “I don’t have any gel, but Chris should. If you want, you could stop by his place to grab something to get these stray pieces under control.” 

Yuuri nodded. “Sure. I’ll be right back, then.” He left Victor’s apartment, turning left toward Chris’s door. He knocked, and Chris answered shortly after.

Chris whistled, a grin on his face, as he took in Yuuri’s appearance. His smile faltered as his eyes reached Yuuri’s face, no doubt noticing his red, puffy eyes. “Yuuri, what’s going on? Are you alright?”

Yuuri started to nod, then shook his head. “No. But I’m dealing with it.”

“Not that I’m not pleased to see you, but what are you doing here?” 

“Victor said you might have some hair gel I could borrow?” He gestured to the rogue pieces on his head. “Sorry if I disturbed you, I thought Victor would have texted you or something to tell you I was stopping by.”

Gesturing for him to come in, Chris chuckled. “He did not. But I do in fact have some hair gel you could use. Come on in.” 

Yuuri thanked him and entered the apartment. Chris disappeared down the hall, leaving Yuuri to fuss over Belle, who had started rubbing against him the moment he entered the apartment. She purred, butting against the hand he offered. 

“Belle, don’t get cat hair on Yuuri’s suit,” Chris chastised, appearing with a container of hair gel. He handed the gel to Yuuri, then picked up Belle to nuzzle her affectionately. “So, what’s the occasion?”

“Victor and I are going dancing.” Yuuri responded. He didn’t know Chris very well, but Chris was Victor’s best friend, so he knew that Victor had explained the situation with Sebastian and Anna. “I was supposed to go with my wife but she was...occupied.” 

Chris gave him a sympathetic look. “I’m very sorry to hear. But I’m sure you and Victor will have a marvelous time.”

Yuuri nodded in thanks, waving goodbye as he made his way back to Victor’s apartment. Makka greeted him immediately, sniffing all over where Belle had rubbed on him. Yuuri stopped in the hallway bathroom next to the second bedroom, re-applying a coat of gel. With his hair back under control, Yuuri took in his appearance. His eyes were still puffy, but hopefully by the time they left, it wouldn’t be noticeable. 

Just as Yuuri was about to call out to Victor, his phone buzzed. 

**Anna** : Running late? 

Yuuri squeezed his phone, debating how to respond. Maybe he could tell her what he heard. Maybe he could tell her to fuck off. Was she really going to just text him like everything was normal? Like she hadn’t just brought the man she was having an affair with into their home? Yuuri tucked his phone back into his pocket, trying to suppress the fresh wave of anger that washed over him. 

Makka whined in the doorway, sensing Yuuri’s distress, and he softened. “It’s ok, girl. I’m not upset with you.” He ruffled her fur, and she licked his hand in response. 

“Yuuri? Did I hear that you’re back?” Victor’s voice called from his room.

“Yeah. I got the gel from Chris. I think I’m ready when you are.” 

“Great! I’ll be right out!” 

Yuuri and Makka returned to the living room, and Yuuri occupied himself by tossing her ball around the room. Makka chased it happily, dropping it on the floor in front of him every time. He had to stop after it almost bounced into Victor’s television, but Makka seemed content to lay at his feet and gnaw on the toy. 

“Alright, I’m ready!” 

Yuuri turned at the sound of Victor’s voice, and his breath caught in his throat. Victor looked even better than Yuuri could have ever imagined. He shouldn’t be surprised that Victor had impeccable taste, but he hadn’t been prepared for how the dark suit perfectly hugged all of his curves in just the right places. Yuuri swallowed hard. “Um,” he said intelligibly. 

Victor cocked his head. “Um?” 

“You look…” Yuuri trailed off, too busy appreciating Victor’s form. “Wow.”

Victor winked, grinning widely. “I see I’ve left you speechless.” 

Yuuri laughed. “I take it back, you ruined it.” 

“Yuuuuuri! So cruel!” He held a hand up to his forehead dramatically.

Chuckling, Yuuri responded, “Seriously though. You look amazing.”

Victor blushed, and Yuuri swore his heart skipped a beat. “Thank you,” he replied, shier than Yuuri expected. 

Yuuri offered his arm to Victor, a nod to their stroll in the park during their early friendship. Victor’s eyes sparkled, and it seemed he understood the reference Yuuri was making. He took Yuuri’s arm, smiling. 

“Shall we?” Victor asked once he had Yuuri’s arm.

“Yeah. Let’s go,” Yuuri responded. They both gave Makka one last pat with their free hands, then piled into Yuuri’s car. 

Yuuri drove them to the studio that was hosting the lessons, sneaking glances at Victor at every red light. Victor seemed to be doing the same thing, because they kept accidentally making eye contact, causing each other to laugh and blush. 

Once they reached the studio and parked, Yuuri’s phone buzzed again.

**Anna** : Where are you?

Yuuri ignored the notification, taking Victor’s arm again. They followed a group of couples inside, stopping to check in. They were given name tags and directed to a small table for two with a candle, a set of wine glasses, and two small plates. 

“Are they feeding us?” Victor asked.

“Hors d'oeuvres,” Yuuri answered.

Victor nodded as their glasses were filled with the house wine and the first round of food was brought out. The instructors introduced themselves while everyone enjoyed light refreshments, then left them a little bit of time to digest. Right before they were about to start the first lesson, Yuuri’s phone buzzed again.

**Anna** : Seriously, where are you? 

He must have been making a foul expression at his phone because he suddenly felt Victor’s hand on his shoulder. “Everything ok?” 

Yuuri nodded. “Yeah. Anna’s just asking where I am.” 

“What did you say?”

“Nothing. I don’t want to talk to her.” 

Victor squeezed his shoulder. “Understandable. But perhaps you should at least let her know you’re alright?”

Yuuri scowled. “Why should I?”

“Because,” Victor said carefully, “you’re a very kind and considerate person, and I think you will be upset at yourself later for making her worry. You don’t have to have a full conversation, but I think you’ll feel better later for letting her know you’re not dead in a ditch somewhere.” 

Yuuri held his scowl for a few moments, then relented. “Yeah. You’re right. I’m just so angry,” Yuuri admitted. 

“You have every right to be. But don’t act like a jerk because you’re upset.” Victor nudged him playfully, trying to lighten the mood. 

“Yeah, ok,” Yuuri grumbled. 

“You told me to call you out on your bullshit,” Victor said with a shrug.

“I’m glad you did. You’re right.” He pulled his phone out to send a quick response.

**Yuuri** : I’m fine. Won’t be home tonight. 

**Anna** : What? I thought we had plans? 

**Yuuri** : Something came up. Not sure when I’ll be back. 

**Anna** : What’s going on? Everything ok? 

**Yuuri** : No. 

**Anna** : No? Then what’s wrong? I don’t understand. 

**Yuuri** : I don’t want to talk right now. 

**Anna** : What the fuck is going on? This is so not like you. 

**Yuuri** : I promise I’ll talk to you some time tomorrow. Right now I just can’t. 

**Anna** : Ok…? Guess I’ll see you tomorrow then.

Out of habit, Yuuri was about to type “I love you”. He stopped, his fingers hovering over the keys. Whether it was the anger, or the fact that it was just no longer true, Yuuri couldn’t make himself write out those three words. Instead, he turned his phone off, dropping it on the table and grabbing Victor’s hand. Victor followed after him, not commenting on how tightly Yuuri was gripping his hand. 

They found their place on the dance floor, and the instructors started going over basic steps. Yuuri tuned them out. It was a simple waltz, he could do it in his sleep. Victor was watching him with a contemplative expression, but not interrupting Yuuri’s thoughts. Eventually, the instructor started having all the couples move together. 

Yuuri went through the motions of the waltz automatically, his mind still on Anna. He thought about those three little words, and if he still meant them. He still told Anna he loved her all the time, both via text and in person. But did he? It was such an ingrained habit, that he never really thought about it, he just said it. Did he still feel that spark?

And what about Anna? He couldn’t remember the last time Anna had told Yuuri that she loved him. Did she? She certainly wasn’t acting like she did. 

He thought about his marriage, and about the half a year that Anna had been acting distant. No, that was how long she had been cheating, she had been distant before that. Regardless, she hadn’t been acting like the woman he fell in love with for a long time. They’d always had their issues, but they had been in love. 

It hit Yuuri that he was using past tense. If Anna truly loved him, she wouldn’t hurt him like this. She wouldn’t have lied, and taken advantage of his trust over and over again. 

_I don’t deserve to be treated like this_. 

He couldn’t do it anymore. He wouldn’t. 

A squeeze on his hand brought Yuuri back to reality. Victor was looking at him curiously, still moving with him on the dance floor. All the other couples had stopped, and were staring. Yuuri realized that he had transitioned into more complicated steps without thinking about it. He stopped, flushing with embarrassment and mumbling apologies. The instructors started teaching again, and Victor pulled Yuuri to the edge of the dance floor. The other couples were imitating the steps that the instructors were showing, but Victor kept Yuuri still, gently grasping both of his hands. Yuuri realized that Victor had been keeping up with him, despite straying from what they were being taught.

“I thought you said you couldn’t dance?”

Victor shrugged. “I may have taken a few classes. I was struggling to keep up with you at the end, though. You’re a very good lead, but you kept getting more and more complicated.” 

“Why didn’t you stop me?” 

“You looked like you were thinking very hard about something. I didn’t want to interrupt.”

“Oh. Well, why did you tell me you didn’t know how to dance?” Yuuri asked curiously. 

Victor countered, “Why did you tell Anna you didn’t know how to dance?” 

Yuuri was about to answer, when he remembered that he had already told Victor this story. Victor knew exactly why. A million thoughts went through Yuuri’s head at that moment. His anxiety wanted to tell him he was reading too much into the situation, but Victor was looking at him with so much fondness and affection, even his anxious thoughts were quieted. 

“Victor...is this a date?” Yuuri asked quietly.

Victor lifted one of Yuuri’s hands to his lips, giving Yuuri’s knuckles a gentle kiss. It wasn’t the first time Victor had done this, but it still made Yuuri’s heart flutter. “It could be, if you want it to be. Two people that are attracted to each other, having a candlelit dinner, and dancing. That could be a date.” 

Yuuri was having trouble processing Victor’s words. He didn’t know whether to focus on the fact that Victor had just admitted to being attracted to Yuuri, or how he seemed to know that Yuuri felt the same. “How did you know that I…?” 

With a playful smirk, Victor responded, “You’re not as subtle as you think.”

“How long have you known?”

Victor shrugged. “I knew the physical attraction was there when we met, but I didn’t realize you felt more for me until after I broke up with Seb.”

“What do you mean, ‘when we met’? I thought I was straight until a few weeks ago.” 

Victor gaped at him for a few moments, then burst out laughing. He dropped Yuuri’s hands so he could cover his mouth. A few of the couples were giving them dirty looks. “Yuuri, you called me cute the first time you messaged me. You checked me out the first time we met up. I thought you were bi or pan or something, I didn’t realize I was causing your gay awakening!” Victor continued to chuckle. 

Yuuri frowned. “I wasn’t checking you out! I was just...noticing how attractive you were. Oh my god, I was checking you out.” 

“Oh, Yuuri,” Victor said once his laughter was contained, “you’re adorable, you know that?” 

“You’re one to talk. Have you seen yourself?” Yuuri gestured vaguely to Victor. 

Victor raised an eyebrow, placing a finger on his lips. “I don’t think I know what you mean, could you elaborate?” 

“You know what I mean.” 

“I don’t believe I do.”

Yuuri covered his face with his hands. “Don’t make me say it.” 

“Say what, Yuuri? I still don’t know what you’re talking about.” Victor gently pried Yuuri’s hands away from his face. 

“You’re really attractive, ok? Beautiful. Handsome. Hot. Gorgeous. Cute. Sexy. Pick an adjective.” Yuuri blurted, blushing furiously. 

To Yuuri’s surprise, Victor blushed too, grinning. “Yuuuuuuri! You’re so sweet!” He cupped Yuuri’s face in his hands. “I was going to say the same about you. You’re stunning.” 

Yuuri wanted to argue, to tell Victor he was just being nice, but his tone was so gentle, and so sincere, Yuuri couldn’t help but believe him. Before he was even thinking about what he was doing, Yuuri was leaning in to Victor. He licked his lips, and Victor’s eyes followed the motion. He slid his hands around Victor’s waist, the pounding of his heart drowning out anything else. They were so close now, Yuuri could feel Victor’s hot breath on his lips, and smell the slight scent of alcohol clinging to him. Their chests were flush, and all it would take would be to just lean forward slightly, just a few centimeters, and he would know if Victor’s lips were as soft as they were in his dream. He wanted to, and judging by the way Victor’s lips were parted and his eyes were fluttering shut, Victor wanted him to as well. The older man was waiting for Yuuri to make the final move. 

Swallowing hard against the butterflies in his stomach, Yuuri leaned back, moving one hand to Victor’s chest to keep some distance between them. Victor’s eyes opened, but he didn’t look angry, or upset, just a bit disappointed. 

“We can’t. I’m sorry.” He swallowed back tears. “I know it’s dumb, because Anna obviously didn’t care, but I’m still married. I can’t stoop to her level. I want to be better than that.” Yuuri waited for the rejection, for Victor to push him away and call him a tease, but instead, he felt fingers intertwining with his own. 

Victor squeezed his hand. “That’s not dumb. I’m sorry if I pushed you, I didn’t mean to make you uncomfortable.”

Yuuri shook his head frantically. “You didn’t, I promise. I wanted to...I just...I can’t.” 

“That’s alright. As much as I wanted you to kiss me, I understand where you’re coming from, and I respect your decision.” 

“You do?”

Victor nodded. “I do. And I think you’re right, I just got a little caught in the moment.” He rubbed the back of his head sheepishly. 

Chuckling, Yuuri agreed, “Me too. It was hard not to, with the romantic atmosphere, and you being so charming.” 

Victor blushed again, and Yuuri found that he really liked seeing Victor flustered. “Yuuuuuri! You think I’m charming?”

“Occasionally,” Yuuri joked with a wink. 

They laughed together, then finally made their way back toward the rest of the group. The other couples were giving them looks that ranged from curious to annoyed, but neither of them cared. They followed the directions from the instructors, but Yuuri kept adding in extra flare. Eventually, they ended up in a dramatic tango. They were just supposed to be working on basic steps, but the instructors gave up on trying to keep them in line and decided to use Victor and Yuuri as an example. Victor couldn’t quite keep up with Yuuri, with all of his advanced training, but he could follow enough to give the rest of the group a good show. Their dance ended with Yuuri dipping Victor, their faces just inches apart and laughing wildly. 

The group cheered, and Yuuri heard the sound of cameras. Once they took their bows, one of the participants held her phone out to Victor, showing them the picture she got of the dip. He immediately asked her to send it to him. 

All too soon, the instructors were bidding them goodnight, and Yuuri and Victor were driving back to Victor’s apartment. They walked to Victor’s door, and Victor invited him inside. Makka was ecstatic, bouncing between Yuuri and Victor. 

“Ok, ok. Let me get your leash.” Victor grabbed a leash hanging by the door. “I’m just going to take her out to go potty. Make yourself comfortable. You can use either shower in the master or the guest bathroom, I have plenty of towels and shower supplies in each.” 

Yuuri nodded as Victor clipped Makka’s leash on, taking her out. He had draped his jacket over a chair in the living room, so Yuuri did the same, then padded into the guest bathroom. Victor wasn’t kidding when he said he had plenty of supplies. The bathroom was well stocked with fancy smelling soaps, shampoo, conditioner, and bottles that Yuuri wasn’t entirely sure what they were for. He washed the gel out of his hair and the sweat off his skin, feeling entirely too satisfied at using soap that smelled like Victor. 

After he stepped out and dried himself off, Yuuri realized he didn’t have any extra clothes. He debated just putting his suit back on, but that didn’t sound particularly comfortable. They hadn’t exactly discussed it, but Victor had said Yuuri could stay as long as he wanted, and he had a guest bedroom, so Yuuri wasn’t planning on leaving. Unless Victor wanted him to. Maybe it was best to check.

Wrapping the towel around his waist, Yuuri made sure he wasn’t going to drip water all over Victor’s apartment, then made his way to Victor’s room. He knocked on the door, which was ajar, and heard Victor greet him and tell him to enter. Makka was sprawled out on Victor’s bed, tail thumping. 

“Victor? I just wanted to check--”

All of Yuuri’s thoughts crashed to a halt as Victor emerged from the bathroom in nothing but a towel. His hair was damp, and there were droplets of water dripping down his neck and chest. Yuuri couldn’t help but follow their path with his eyes. 

“Yes? Wanted to check…?” Victor said smugly, clearly aware of the fact that Yuuri was ogling him. 

“Uhhhh clothes?” Yuuri squeaked, blushing furiously. 

Victor smirked, then walked over to a wooden dresser. He grabbed a few articles of clothing, then crossed the room to present them to Yuuri. Yuuri reached out to grab them, but Victor just leaned in toward his ear and whispered, “Like what you see?” 

Yuuri squeaked again, snatching the clothes out of Victor’s hands and turning to leave the room. He heard Victor chuckle as he walked away. Yuuri pulled the bathroom door shut, gripping the counter and trying to get the thought that his dream had not done Victor justice out of his head. Still blushing a deep scarlet, Yuuri dressed himself in the comfy lounge clothes that Victor had given him. He moved extra slow, so Victor would have time to dress as well. He wasn’t sure if he would survive seeing Victor half-naked again. 

After counting back from 100 to give himself time to calm down, Yuuri retreated to the living room. Victor was already there, boiling water. “Do you like tea?” he asked.

Yuuri nodded. “Yeah, an herbal would be great.” He noticed that the bouquet was now sitting in a vase, prominently displayed on the kitchen counter. It looked good in Victor’s kitchen. 

“I have a new refreshing hibiscus flavor I’ve been wanting to try. How does that sound?” Victor grabbed a pair of mugs.

“Sounds great,” Yuuri replied. 

Once the tea was steeping, Victor gestured to the couch, and carried both of their mugs out. They sat down, and Makka followed them in, laying at Victor’s feet. Victor was sitting across from him, looking serious. Victor set one mug in front of Yuuri. 

“I just wanted you to know that I meant it when I said you can stay as long as you want,” Victor started. 

“Thank you. I was actually planning on staying tonight, if that’s ok?” Yuuri asked tentatively. 

Victor smiled. “Of course! The guest bedroom still has a few boxes in there, but the bed is made up.” 

“Thank you. I won’t be in your way?”

“Never. Just one thing though,” Victor continued, “my brother is coming into town tomorrow. I’m meeting him for breakfast so I’ll be up a bit early. You’re welcome to come with me.” 

“Are you sure? I don’t want to intrude on family time.” 

Victor nodded. “I’m sure. He will probably be bringing a friend, so it’s only fair. I should warn you though, my brother Yuri can be a bit...prickly. Don’t take it personally if it seems like he doesn’t like you. He hates everyone.”

Yuuri chuckled. “How old is he?”

“18. Makes me feel so old,” Victor said dramatically.

“Sounds like a typical 18 year old. And you’re not old, you goof.” 

Victor hummed in response. “Yuri would disagree with you on both of those points. According to him, I’m ancient, and he’s extraordinary.” 

Yuuri laughed again. “I’ll keep that in mind.”

They sipped their tea in silence for a few moments, then Victor cleared his throat. “So...I have to ask. You were thinking very hard tonight, have you come to any conclusions?” 

Yuuri nodded. “Yeah. I’m done.” 

Victor raised both eyebrows in surprise. “You’re done?”

“Yup. I did do a lot of thinking tonight, and I realized that if Anna really loved me, she wouldn’t do this to me. She wouldn’t cheat, and she wouldn’t lie. She wouldn’t act distant when I tried to reach out.” Yuuri sighed. “I was so obsessed with understanding why she did what she did, so I could fix it. But you know what? I don’t care. No one deserves to feel like this. There is no reason that she could give that would make this ok.” Yuuri realized he was repeating Phichit’s words from a few months prior, and he almost laughed. Of course, his best friend had been right all along. 

“I’m so happy to hear you say that,” Victor said genuinely. “You do deserve better, so much better. Are you going to ask for a divorce, then?”

Yuuri nodded. “Yeah. She’s had plenty of opportunities to come clean, and to try and fix whatever went wrong in our relationship, but that clearly wasn’t a priority for her. I wasn’t a priority for her. She and Sebastian can have each other, we deserve better.” 

Victor smiled. “We do. I’m so proud of you for realizing that.” 

“I know you were trying to tell me that all along...but I needed to figure it out for myself.” Yuuri sighed. “I kept feeling like this was my fault, and that I could fix it. But no matter how much effort I put in, she wouldn’t even meet me halfway. It didn’t matter what I did, she was still seeing Sebastian. Whatever her problem is, I’m done dealing with it.” 

“It was never your fault,” Victor reminded him.

“Logically, I know. But I think part of me will always feel like I could have done something different. Part of me will always want to take the blame.” He knew that his anxiety wouldn’t give up so easily.

Victor leaned forward and put a hand on Yuuri’s knee. “Then I’ll keep reminding you. It wasn’t your fault, and you deserve better.” 

Yuuri smiled gratefully, then sighed again. “I guess I need to find a new place to live, then.”

“You won’t ask her to move out?”

Yuuri shook his head. “No, I don’t want to be in that apartment anymore. Too many memories. Plus, it feels tainted now that I know she’s brought Sebastian there.” Yuuri scowled slightly at the thought. “Phichit has offered his couch before, I can move in with him and put some of my stuff in storage.” 

Victor hummed thoughtfully. “Or, you could move in here. I got a 2 bedroom for when my brother comes to visit, so I have the space.” 

Yuuri considered the offer. “Are you sure? Where will your brother stay?”

“He can sleep on the couch. That’s what he did when I lived with Seb. He’ll only be here for a few days at a time, anyway,” Victor said with a shrug. “I really don’t mind.”

“I thought you said you liked having your own place?” 

“I do, but I also have no problem with having a roommate. Or rather, the right roommate. I love Chris dearly, but he likes to erm...entertain guests a lot. I’ve been out of college way too long to have to wear noise cancelling ear plugs at home.” Victor grimaced. 

Yuuri shuddered. “Yikes.” He contemplated Victor’s offer for a while longer. “Um...what about us?”

“What do you mean?”

“Will it be too weird for us to live together considering…?”

Victor shrugged. “Maybe. I suppose in the grand scheme of things, we haven’t known each other too long, either. I’ll understand if you’d rather not live here.” 

Yuuri bit his lip, thinking hard. Victor’s apartment was close to work, closer than Phichit’s. He’d have his own room. He’d have Makka. He wouldn’t have to put most of his belongings in storage. Plus, he’d get to be close to Victor. “I don’t want to ruin what we have between us,” Yuuri said truthfully. 

“Neither do I. If you decide to move in, we have to be open and honest with each other,” Victor said seriously. “I’m tired of having a relationship with no communication. ” 

“Me too,” Yuuri agreed. “Ok, yes. I’ll move in with you. Thank you for offering. I’ll keep an eye out for another place to move in to so I don’t have to stay here too long.” 

Victor grinned. “Wonderful! We can add you to the lease tomorrow. And you can stay as long as you want, don’t worry about it.” His expression became more serious. “Are you doing alright? This is a big change.”

Yuuri shrugged. “I’m honestly just sort of numb right now. It hasn’t really hit me that I’m actually going to ask my wife for a divorce tomorrow.” 

Nodding in understanding, Victor replied, “I know how you feel. That’s how I felt before I broke up with Seb. Do you want to talk anymore?”

“No, I think I just want to go to bed. Tomorrow is going to be...exciting, to say the least.”

“True.” Victor stood up. “There’s toothbrushes and toothpaste in the guest bathroom. Extra blankets are in the hall closet. I’ll be just down the hall, if you need me.” 

Yuuri mirrored the motion, standing up. “Thank you. Goodnight,” Yuuri called as they walked down the hallway together. Victor responded with a “goodnight” of his own, disappearing into his room and leaving the door ajar. Yuuri wasn’t sure if it was for him or Makka. 

Stepping into the guest bedroom, Yuuri looked around. This was going to be his room for the foreseeable future. There weren’t any decorations, and a few unpacked boxes were littered about, but it was a warm, cozy space. Yuuri settled into the bed, bundling himself in the soft, expensive linens. 

He closed his eyes and tried to sleep, but in the quiet room, his thoughts ran wild. He couldn’t stop thinking about what was going to happen tomorrow, or how he and Victor had almost kissed, or how he still had to tell all of his friends and family that he was getting a divorce. 

Yuuri rolled on his back, staring at the ceiling. Fortunately, he had grabbed his spare glasses in the car, so he wouldn’t have to be blind without his contacts, but nothing was going to help him in the dark. He just stared up at the fuzzy blackness, hoping for exhaustion to overtake him. It didn’t.

Deciding that maybe a glass of water might help, Yuuri put his glasses on and rolled out of the bed. He had just exited the guest bedroom, when he noticed Victor’s light still on at the end of the hall. Without thinking, Yuuri’s feet were already taking him toward Victor. The door was still ajar, but Yuuri knocked softly anyway.

“Yuuri? You can open the door,” Victor’s voice called. 

Yuuri pushed the door open, revealing Victor sitting up in bed reading a book. “You’re still up?” Yuuri asked.

“I was about to ask you the same thing. Couldn’t sleep?”

Yuuri shook his head. “My brain won’t shut off.”

Victor set his book down. “Do you want to come in?”

Yuuri hesitated for just a moment. He did want to, that’s why he was here, but it seemed like he might be pushing some invisible boundary. Victor didn’t seem to mind, though. Nodding, Yuuri pushed the door open further and entered, stopping when he reached the edge of Victor’s bed. He didn’t know where to go from there. Makka crawled toward him, wagging her tail and asking for attention.

Victor smiled as Yuuri started petting Makka. “She’s a great cuddler. And there’s plenty of room up here for all of us.” 

“It does look cozy up there,” Yuuri admitted, then gingerly crawled onto the bed. Makka immediately curled up next to his legs, sighing happily. 

“I guess she’s picked you,” Victor said with a chuckle. “Be warned though, she’s a space heater.” 

Yuuri laughed. “That’s alright, I don’t plan to stay in here for too long.” 

“Ok. Do you mind if I keep reading?” Victor asked.

“Go ahead.” 

Victor picked up his book again, starting where he left off. Eventually, Yuuri closed his eyes, focusing on the sound of Makka’s soft snores and the occasional page turn. He really only meant to calm down a bit then go back to his own bed, but soon enough, sleep was tugging at him. Yuuri felt his glasses removed from his face, and he vaguely registered the sound of a light being switched off. 

“Goodnight, my Yuuri.” Lips brushed his forehead, and Yuuri knew no more. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next time: Yuuri meets Yuri! Also, will Yuuri finally be able to kick Anna to the curb?


	6. Irreplaceable

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Yuuri finally confronts Anna

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sooo my laptop is going in for repairs and I don't want you all to have to wait, so you get an early update! Yay! I know with the way the last chapter was left off waiting wouldn't have been fun. So here you go! 
> 
> I also wanted to give you guys a heads up: I'm going out of town for a school thing soon, and I don't expect it to impact posting schedule, but just in case, I wanted to make you all aware. If I'm delayed at all for the next two weeks, I promise I will post as soon as I can!

When Yuuri woke up the next morning, he was aware of a solid, warm presence against his back. There was an arm thrown over his chest and a set of legs tangled with his own. With his sleep addled brain, Yuuri was initially confused, because Anna hadn’t touched him in their bed, intimately or otherwise, for over 6 months. It was only when an alarm went off and a masculine voice groaned behind him, that Yuuri remembered where he was. 

The warmth temporarily left him to shut off the alarm, but it was back moments later, along with Victor’s lips just barely brushing the shell of Yuuri’s ear. “G’mornin’.” Victor mumbled sleepily, and Yuuri was reminded of how alluring he’d found Victor’s gravelly morning voice the last time they had woken up together. Only this time, he was aware of his attraction. 

Victor sighed sleepily, and buried his face into the back of Yuuri’s neck. He didn’t seem to be quite awake, and his hand was slipping lower onto Yuuri’s stomach. Yuuri gasped quietly. It was such a simple thing, but it had been so long since Yuuri had felt any kind of intimate touch that the gentle caress of Victor’s fingers was causing heat to pool in his gut. Victor’s hand, combined with the feeling of the other man pressed against him, was too much.

“Victor,” Yuuri said breathily. 

The tone of Yuuri’s voice must have gotten Victor’s attention, because he seemed to come back into consciousness. He pulled his hand off of Yuuri and rolled away when he realized what he was doing. “Sorry. I should have warned you, I’m a very cuddly sleeper.” 

Yuuri let out the breath he had been holding. “It’s ok.” He gulped, trying not to miss Victor’s touch. He made the mistake of glancing at Victor, taking in his mussed hair and groggy smile. Waking up next to Victor, seeing him like that, was not helping his predicament. Groaning, Yuuri threw an arm over his eyes.

Victor must have interpreted Yuuri’s actions as a result of exhaustion, because he rolled out of the bed moments later and said, “You can have a few more minutes of sleep, I’m going to take Makka out.” 

Yuuri listened to the sound of Victor’s bare feet padding down the hall, then allowed himself to relax as the front door closed. He hadn’t meant to fall asleep in Victor’s bed, and he definitely hadn’t meant to wake up being spooned by the man, but it had felt so right. However, the glow from waking up in Victor’s arms wasn’t enough to drown out the reality of what he had to do today. 

Sighing sadly, Yuuri dragged himself out of bed, and ambled toward the guest bathroom. He was brushing his teeth when he heard Victor and Makka re-enter the apartment, followed by the sound of kibble being poured in a dog bowl. The sound of Victor’s footsteps passed by the bathroom moments later. 

Yuuri was just feeling satisfied with how he was getting his hair to lay flat, when he heard a knock on the door. “Yuuri? I brought you some clothes, I’ll leave them outside the door.” 

“Thanks,” Yuuri replied. He opened the door, and there was a full set of clothing for him. He blushed at the thought of wearing Victor’s underwear, but he really didn’t want to keep wearing the same pair, so he put them on and tried not to think too much about it. He slipped on a pair of leggings, and a blue and white striped shirt that fell off his shoulders slightly. Victor was taller, had broader shoulders, and smaller hips, so Yuuri was just grateful to have something that remotely fit him. 

Victor was still getting ready in his room when Yuuri was done getting dressed, so Yuuri decided to boil water for tea. He browsed Victor’s tea cabinet, picking out some Earl Grey for both of them. Makka finished her meal and trotted over to Yuuri, pawing at him for attention. He kept himself busy by petting her while the water boiled in the electric kettle. 

Yuuri was just starting to steep the tea when Victor emerged. He heard the older man gasp quietly. Yuuri turned around, concerned, and noted Victor’s flushed cheeks and wide eyes.

“What?” he questioned. 

“N-nothing,” Victor said unconvincingly. 

“Victor.” 

Victor made an undignified squeaking noise that Yuuri would have never expected out of someone so ordinarily smooth and graceful. “It’s just,” he relented, “you in my clothes.” 

“What about it?” Yuuri tried to clarify. Victor blushed harder, and the realization hit Yuuri. “Oh. _Oh_.” 

“Yeah. I should have picked something that didn’t hug your ass and thighs so perfectly, but I didn’t think my jeans would fit you. I’m going to have a hard time not staring at you today.” He gave Yuuri another once over. “And the shirt slipping off your shoulder like that…” 

Yuuri flushed, his whole body feeling warm. Victor was looking at him hungrily, licking his lips. The tension in the room was practically palpable, but they both held back. Yuuri took deep breaths to get himself under control, and Victor eventually broke eye contact to grab his mug. 

“Sorry,” Victor muttered. 

“I don’t mind,” Yuuri admitted. 

Victor was about to respond, but his phone rang. He answered, and Yuuri heard a sharp, angry voice on the other line. The voice yelled for 30 seconds straight, before Victor responded, “Calm down kitten, we’re just running a little behind. We’re leaving now.” 

The voice, who Yuuri assumed was Victor’s brother, started yelling again, then said something that sounded like a question. “Yeah, I’m bringing a friend.” Victor’s brother snapped something else. “You’re bringing Otabek, I can bring a friend too.” This seemed to calm Victor’s brother, because Yuuri couldn’t hear yelling anymore. Victor answered a few more questions about where they were going, then ended the call. 

“Well, we better get going before Yuri goes on a rampage,” Victor laughed. 

Yuuri thought Victor’s brother sounded terrifyingly angry, but Victor was just laughing his outburst off, so it must not be a big deal. They took their tea to go, saying goodbye to Makka and climbing into Victor’s car. Victor drove them to a popular breakfast cafe, parking a few blocks down. Once they entered the restaurant, Victor waved enthusiastically to a scowling blond teen and his stoic looking friend. 

“Yuri! Otabek! Good to see you both!” he greeted as they approached the table. The blond, who Yuuri assumed was Victor’s brother just based on the attitude, scoffed at them.

“You’re late,” he grumbled. 

Victor shrugged. “Only by a bit.” He sat down, gesturing for Yuuri to do the same. “Yuuri, this is my brother Yuri and his friend Otabek. Yuri and Otabek, this is my good friend Yuuri.” 

Yuuri offered his hand to the teens. “Nice to meet you.” Otabek nodded at him and took his hand, but Yuri just narrowed his eyes and scowled. Yuuri awkwardly pulled his arm back, glancing nervously at Victor. He remembered that Victor had warned him that his brother was a bit of a cactus, but experiencing it in person was an entirely different matter. 

“Have you ordered yet?” Victor asked, glancing over the menu.

“No, we waited,” Otabek responded, while Yuri muttered about how much he hated being kept waiting. 

“Great. Yuuri, you should try the pancakes. They’re the specialty here.” Victor pointed to the pancake section, which offered a variety of pancake types and syrups.

“Sounds good,” Yuuri agreed. 

“Yuri, tell me about college! How did all your classes go?” 

“The same as the last time you asked,” Yuri responded irritably, still glaring at Yuuri. “It’s summer break, I don’t have any classes now.” 

“And you, Otabek?” 

Otabek shrugged. “I passed everything, so I can’t complain.” 

An awkward silence settled over the table, and Victor seemed determined to fill every second of it. He asked Yuri and Otabek questions, then told them something about Yuuri. Yuri was grunting and grumbling one word answers, but Otabek was at least attempting to be polite. Yuuri would respond with a shy smile or confirmation every time Victor tried to include him, but he was struggling to find common ground with the teens. 

“You know, having Yuri and Yuuri is confusing. Someone needs a nickname.” Victor tapped his finger on his chin. “I know! Yuri, from now on, you’re going to be Yurio!” 

“WHAT?!” Yuri snarled, causing several other patrons to give them dirty looks. “I was here first, why can’t he get the stupid nickname?”

“Technically, Yuuri was here first. He’s older,” Victor reasoned. 

Yuri did not seem to appreciate his new nickname, his eyes narrowing even further at Yuuri. Yuuri was trying very hard to not be intimidated by a scrawny teenager, but Victor’s brother was feisty. And loud. 

After several more failed attempts to start a conversation, Victor stood up. “I’m going to wash my hands before the food gets here. Be right back.” He shot Yuri a look. “Behave.” 

Yuri flipped him off as soon as Victor turned around. Then, he turned on Yuuri. “Ok, what the fuck is your deal?”

Yuuri blinked at the teen. “Excuse me?” 

“With Victor. What are you doing?” 

“I don’t know what you mean,” Yuuri said honestly.

“Yuri,” Otabek said softly, placing a hand on his friend’s shoulder. Yuri swatted it away. 

“I swear to god if you hurt him, I will wreck you.” 

Yuuri blinked at him. “Are you...giving me the shovel talk?” 

Yuri slammed a fist on the table, making the glasses shudder. “Of course I am! I saw what that last asshole did to him. I won’t sit here quietly and let you do the same.” 

All at once, Yuri’s behavior made sense. He was worried about his brother, and it was actually kind of sweet. Yuuri relaxed a little. “I can promise you, I have no intention of hurting Victor. But I think you have the wrong idea, we’re not together.” 

“Bullshit,” Yuri responded. 

Yuuri held up his hand, pointing to his wedding ring. “I’m married.” He winced. “Well, not for much longer. But still. I’ve been married the entire time I’ve known Victor.” 

“What the fuck does ‘not for much longer’ mean?” Yuri asked suspiciously. 

“Did Victor tell you about Sebastian?” Yuuri wasn’t sure how close Yuri and Victor were, or how much Victor would share with a sibling more than 10 years younger than him.

“Of course he did. I just wish he’d tell me which car belongs to that fucker so I can key it.” 

“Victor and I met because my wife is the person Sebastian was cheating with,” Yuuri said bluntly. 

That seemed to surprise Yuri. He looked at Otabek for a second, but even the stoic teen’s face looked a little shocked. “Well that’s...fucked up.” 

“Yeah,” Yuuri chuckled a little, “that’s one way to put it.” 

Yuri’s eyes narrowed again. “Why are you wearing his clothes then?” 

Yuuri bit his lip, debating how much he wanted to tell a stranger, and a teenager at that, about his life. He decided to be honest, because it seemed like the only way to get the teen off his back. “I was supposed to go out with my wife last night. I dressed up for it and everything, but when I came home, she was with Sebastian. Kind of ruined the night. So, I went to Victor’s instead. I only had my suit, so he let me borrow some clothes. That’s it.” 

“Bullshit,” Yuri growled again, but his voice held less malice. 

“What now?” 

“I can see how Victor looks at you,” Yuri accused. 

“Victor and I…” he paused, trying to figure out how to word what he was thinking, “we have feelings for each other. He knows, and I know. But we aren’t going to act on it, not while I’m still married.” 

"Are you leaving your wife for my brother? Because that's fucked up."

Yuuri shook his head. “No, nothing like that. I’m divorcing my wife because she’s been cheating on me for more than half a year, and I’m sick of pretending it’s ok.” He sighed. “Victor and I haven’t discussed what happens to us after I’ve…” He trailed off.

Yuri seemed calmer, sympathetic, even. “That sucks. Sorry your wife’s an asshole.” 

“Thanks,” Yuuri said genuinely. “I should tell you, I’m moving in with Victor. Into the spare room.” 

Yuri just grunted in response. Yuuri wasn’t sure if that was good or bad. He didn’t have time to find out, because Victor reappeared at the table, looking apprehensive. “Everything ok here?” 

“Yeah, except for the fact that you’re giving my room away,” Yuri accused. 

“It’s not your room, it’s a spare room. Yuuri needs a place to go.” 

“Where am I supposed to sleep?” 

“The couch. It’s the same one that was at my old place, the one that folds out.” 

Yuri tsked. “That thing sucks. I’ll just stay with Beka at his family’s house.” Otabek just shrugged in response. Yuuri got the impression that this was not an atypical exchange for this group. 

The food was dropped off, and Yuuri found that conversation was flowing much better. Yuuri learned that Yuri was interested in ballet, and he became _almost_ amicable when he learned that Yuuri was a dancer. He was actually excited to find out that Yuuri had minored in dance, because he was doing the same thing. 

“Victor’s about as graceful as his dumb dog on the dance floor. Glad you’re better than that,” Yuri grumbled. Yuuri wanted to disagree, because he’d seen Victor in action, but he realized this was as close to a compliment as the teen would give, so Yuuri just smiled and laughed. Victor pouted dramatically, but he seemed pleased that Yuuri was getting along with his brother. 

Otabek wasn’t much for conversation, but Yuuri got the impression that he was listening and remembering everything that was said. By the time their bills were paid, Yuuri actually found that he was feeling fond of Victor’s prickly younger brother. He definitely had a bad attitude, but based on how fiercely he was ready to defend Victor, Yuuri could guess that he was probably surprisingly soft underneath his sharp exterior. 

As they parted ways outside the restaurant, Victor called out, “Bye, Otabek! Bye, Yurio!” 

Yuri screeched like an angry pterodactyl. “Don’t call me that, you stupid geezer!” 

Victor just laughed, waving goodbye to his brother and friend. Yuuri waved as well, trying to hide his laugh. They heard Yuri ranting until he and Otabek turned a corner, then his angry expletives faded into the noise of the city.

The pair returned to Victor’s car, and Victor drove them back to his apartment. “So,” Yuuri said as Victor drove, “your brother seems very protective of you.” 

Victor gave him a confused look. “What makes you say that?”

“He tried to give me the shovel talk while you were in the bathroom.” 

Victor looked surprised. “He did?” 

Nodding, Yuuri continued, “Yup. I’m guessing he never actually says out loud that he cares about you?” 

“No, not really,” Victor confirmed, “but I know he does, in his own way. I guess that’s why he was being extra prickly. He must have liked what you said, though, because he was much calmer when I got back.” 

“I was just honest with him. Sorry if I told him something I shouldn’t have.” 

Victor shrugged. “He’s an adult now, and I’m trying to do better treating him like one. That’s probably why he liked you so much. Yuri has always been the baby of the family, so adults are always treating him like a kid. He probably respected that you were honest with him.” 

“Oh. So you think he liked me?” 

Victor nodded. “Definitely. I know it’s hard to believe, but that was actually him being nice. Once you get past the claws, he’s actually quite the cuddly kitten.” 

Yuuri laughed. “I don’t know about that, but I did get the impression that he cares a lot about you. Are you close?” 

“Sort of. We’re closer than we used to be,” Victor admitted. “Yuri is actually my half-brother, so it was a little weird when I was 10 and my mom had a baby with someone that wasn’t my dad. The age difference made it hard too, it was only the last 5 or so years that we really got to know each other properly. I mean, I moved away for school when he was 8, so he really didn’t know me very well for most of his life because he was so young.” 

“So your parents…?” 

“Are divorced. They just weren’t right for each other, it was very civil. I’m still close with both of them, and my step-dad.” He smiled. “If it makes you feel better, my mom and my step-dad are wonderful together. They were both divorcees, and they found each other by chance and hit it off right away.” 

“That does make me feel better, actually,” Yuuri admitted. As much as he appreciated Victor trying to comfort him, the conversation was reminding him of what he had to do next. Before long, they had pulled up to Victor’s apartment again. Yuuri came up just to grab his suit, and to give Makka another pat. 

Yuuri sighed. “Well, I can’t put it off any longer.” He turned toward the door, but Victor’s hand caught his wrist. He pulled Yuuri back into a hug.

“I’m so proud of you. You are doing the right thing,” he said encouragingly. 

Yuuri hugged him back, but had to pull away before the tears started. He needed to save those for later. “Thank you.” He reached for the door handle. “I guess I’ll be back later, then.”

“Just text me when you’re on your way back. I’ll be here.” 

With a final nod, Yuuri left Victor’s apartment, his stomach sinking as he got closer and closer to his car. He wasn’t ready for this, but he knew he had to do it anyway. 

\------------------------

Yuuri hadn’t actually bothered to check that Anna was home, but her car was in the lot, so he assumed that she was. It was for the best, as sitting around waiting for her would probably just make him more anxious. Swallowing down the tears, Yuuri got out of his car. He debated bringing his suit back up, but he realized that he was going to be moving out anyway, so it didn’t make sense to put it away. It was already wrinkled and in need of another dry cleaning, so he didn’t feel bad about leaving it in the backseat. 

The knot in Yuuri’s stomach only twisted further as he approached the apartment. He swallowed hard, then unlocked the door. Yuuri heard a shuffling sound, followed by Anna rushing down the hall. Her hair was messy, and she was still in her pajamas. It looked like she had just woken up. 

“Hey,” she said, forcefully casual.

Yuuri raised an eyebrow. “Hi. I think we have a few things to talk about.”

Anna’s gaze shifted between Yuuri and the bedroom. “Yeah, we do.” 

“I’m just gonna grab my glasses off the nightstand. I’m wearing my spare pair and they’re really uncomfortable.” He started to make his way down the hall, but Anna stopped him with a hand on his chest.

“Uh...don’t you want to make yourself some tea? I’ll grab them for you while you do that.”

“I had tea this morning, I don’t need any more right now.” He tried to walk past her, but Anna pushed harder. 

“Um…” she said awkwardly. “When you said, ‘tomorrow’, I didn’t realize you meant this early. You’re never awake before 9 on a Sunday.” 

Yuuri was about to ask why she was being so weird, when he heard a quiet thump from the bedroom. Suddenly, her odd behavior made sense. “He’s still here.” It was a statement, not a question. With a defeated sigh, Yuuri turned around and walked back into the living room, plopping down on the couch. “Why don’t you send your ‘guest’ home so we can talk alone.” 

Anna’s eyes widened, then she scurried back into the bedroom like a frightened mouse. Yuuri could hear soft voices, and more shuffling. He heard both of their voices raise slightly, before one of them shushed the other. There was still a part of Yuuri that wanted to break down and cry, but mostly, he still just felt numb. He wasn’t even surprised that Sebastian was here, just disappointed. 

The two of them emerged, Anna looking like she was read to bolt. She was chewing her nails, and although Sebastian was holding his chin up high, he could see the hesitation written on the other man’s face. It occured to Yuuri that this was his first time ever seeing Sebastian in person. He looked like his picture, with his heavy muscling, angular jaw, and sharp cheekbones. 

Yuuri expected himself to be angry, but what surprised him was that the bulk of the anger he was feeling toward Sebastian wasn’t because Yuuri had just caught him with his wife, it was because he knew how the other man had treated Victor. This was the man that made Victor feel like he couldn’t express his feelings. This was the man that made Victor cry. Somehow, that was worse than being the “other man” in Anna’s life. 

“You must be Sebastian,” Yuuri spat, “Victor’s told me _so much_ about you.” He leveled a glare at the other man. 

Both of their jaws dropped open, and Anna’s face paled. Yuuri smirked at their shocked expressions. Seeing them both caught off guard was incredibly satisfying. 

“I don’t understand,” Anna admitted, “what does Victor have to do with this?” 

“Victor was my fiance,” Sebastian muttered, looking at Yuuri with a mix of confusion and anger.

Impossibly, Anna’s eyes seemed to widen further. “So the Victor that you’ve been hanging out with…”

“Was engaged to Sebastian, yes. How do you think Victor found out what you were doing?” He directed his question at Sebastian, whose face twisted with rage.

“You’re the one that told him? He dumped me because of that!” he snarled.

“Of course he did, because he realized that he deserved better than someone that cheated, lied, and made him afraid to be himself!” Yuuri growled in response. 

Sebastian made to take a threatening step forward, but Anna caught his arm. “Seb, you need to leave. Yuuri and I clearly have a lot to discuss.” 

The man looked like he was debating ripping Yuuri’s head off, but he stomped toward the door instead. He gave Yuuri one last look up and down. “You should ask your husband where he was last night,” Sebastian said to Anna, “I recognize that shirt from Victor’s closet.” He left the apartment, slamming the door behind him. 

A heavy silence settled over Yuuri and Anna. Finally, Yuuri spoke, causing Anna to jump. “I’m going to get my other glasses.” He stalked down the hall, trying to let the residual anger wash away before the confrontation with his wife. 

With the more comfortable glasses on his face, Yuuri returned to the living room where Anna was sitting in the lounge chair and staring blankly out the window. “You were with Victor last night?” she asked, not turning her gaze from the window.

“I was.”

She turned to face him. “How long have you been sleeping with him?”

Yuuri scowled. “Since never. Nothing happened between me and Victor. Clearly you can’t say the same about you and Sebastian.” 

“Oh come on Yuuri, I’m not an idiot. You’re wearing his clothes.”

“I’m wearing his clothes because when I went over there I only had my suit. I was dressed up because I came home early to surprise you and take you out. You were too busy fucking Sebastian in our shower to notice.” He scowled at her. “Unlike you,” he pulled off his wedding ring, holding it up, “I respect this. Victor and I are attracted to each other, but I would never do anything with him while you and I are still together.” He slammed the ring down on the coffee table, dropping onto the couch so he could sit across from Anna and frown at her. 

Anna was silent for a few moments, a look of shock on her face. Finally, she asked, “How long have you known?” 

Yuuri did the math. “About 4 months.”

“Why didn’t you say anything?” 

“Why didn’t you?” Yuuri countered. 

She didn’t seem to know what to say to that. “Why are you confronting me now?” 

Yuuri decided to answer honestly. “Hearing you and Sebastian together in our shower was the final straw. I’ve been trying to convince myself that I could fix things between us if I tried hard enough, so I just kept letting it go. No more.” He crossed his arms. “I gave you multiple opportunities to come clean, and you didn’t. You promised me we were fine the first time I asked if we were ok, and you said the same thing at the art museum. Clearly, we’re not fine. So not only were you cheating on me, you lied to my face when I tried to ask what was wrong.” 

“I’m sorry. I didn’t want you to find out,” Anna said with a sigh.

Yuuri huffed. “Of course you didn’t. Can you at least tell me why?”

“I guess that’s only fair,” Anna relented. “Yuuri...you’re a good person, and a good husband but…” she paused, collecting her thoughts, “you’re safe. Boring. I just wanted a little bit of excitement before we moved to the suburbs and started a family.”

Of all the reasons Yuuri expected, hearing that Anna thought he was boring was a scenario that only his anxiety could have conjured up. It was like a slap in the face. He opened his mouth to argue, but could only produce a quiet sob.

Anna continued, “I never had any intention to stay with Sebastian long term. He’s just a fling.” She shook her head sadly. “You were never supposed to find out. I was supposed to get it out of my system, and end it just before we moved. Then, we could start our family without any regrets.”

Yuuri took deep breaths to keep himself from sobbing, but he couldn’t help how his voice wavered when he spoke. “Why didn’t you say something to me? We could have tried counseling, or at least talked through our issues.”

Anna sighed. “We got married so young, I never had the chance to date around. Or sleep around.” She bit her lip, like she was contemplating if she should say what she was thinking, but ultimately she continued her explanation. “Yuuri, you’re the kind of guy that you settle down with, and start a family with. You’re gentle, and kind, and reliable. But you’re not the kind of guy that you get adventurous with. You’re not exciting.” She at least had the decency to look apologetic as she spoke. “I always planned to have a future with you, and I still do. I just needed to do this now, before we had kids. I wouldn’t want to do this to our kids.” 

“But you’d do it to me?” Yuuri asked flatly. 

“You weren’t supposed to find out.” 

“Well, I did.” 

“And I’m truly sorry, I never wanted to hurt you. But I really do want a future with you. Can we get past this?” Anna asked hopefully. 

He couldn’t hold back the tears anymore, fat droplets rolling down his cheeks. Yuuri sniffled, processing her explanation. The word “boring” kept rattling around in his mind. It really was his fault. How cliche was this? He couldn’t keep his wife satisfied, so she jumped into bed with someone else. How had he managed to mess up his marriage this badly?

Yuuri clenched his fist. Maybe...maybe he could get past it. If they went to counseling, if she promised not to do it again, then they could get on with their lives. “This...was a one time thing?” 

Anna nodded. “Yes, I swear. I’ll end it with Sebastian right now if you want me to prove it.” 

He thought about saying yes, and part of him desperately wanted to, so he could cling to what was familiar. If he was truly this incompetant as a husband, who else would want him, anyway? The word “boring” was at the forefront of his mind again, for just a moment, until he started hearing another voice in his head. 

_You’ve made my life so much brighter._

_You’re adorable, you know that?_

_You're the most amazing person I've ever met._

_You’re stunning._

_You deserve better than this._

_It wasn’t your fault, and you deserve better._

Yuuri took a deep breath. “No.” 

Anna looked surprised. “No?” 

“No, we can’t get past this. If you weren’t happy with our marriage, you should have said something. None of this is any excuse for having an affair, and lying about it for months,” Yuuri said firmly. 

“Yuuri, please. I’m sorry. I don’t want to lose you,” she begged, tears starting to form in her own eyes. “I love you.”

Shaking his head, Yuuri replied, “I don’t believe you. If you wanted to be with me, if you loved me, you wouldn’t treat me like this. I don’t deserve this.” 

Anna was crying now, and Yuuri felt his own tears falling harder. “Yuuri, I’m sorry. I’m so sorry. Give me another chance?”

Yuuri shook his head again. “We aren’t right for each other.” He sniffled. “You will always be my first love, but I can’t do this anymore. I can’t carry this relationship on my own, and that’s what I’ve had to do for months. All my attempts to reach out, to ask what was wrong, were ignored. Enough is enough.” He picked up the ring off the table, and put it in his pocket. The tears were falling freely now. “I truly hope you find happiness with someone else someday.”

Anna sobbed as Yuuri stood up. “I hope you do too,” she whispered. 

He thought about giving her a hug, or a handshake, but he couldn’t bring himself to do either. “I have a place to go, so you can have the apartment. I’m just going to grab a few essentials tonight, but I’ll start moving my stuff out this week.” 

“Ok,” Anna responded, her face blank. 

Yuuri left Anna crying in the living room, his own sobs echoing hers. He gathered clothing, toiletries, meds, and supplies for work, packing them into a suitcase. He kept stopping to wipe tears away, and to walk to the bathroom to blow his nose, but eventually he was packed and ready to go. 

Grabbing the suitcase, Yuuri made his way to the door, stopping in the living room one last time. Anna was curled up on the couch, sniffling. Yuuri walked over to her, pulling the ring out of his pocket and offering it to her. 

She shook her head. “It’s yours.” 

“Not anymore,” Yuuri said with finality. Anna started sobbing again, but held out her hand to accept the ring. He dropped it into her hand, then left the apartment without looking back, only stopping to send a text.

**Yuuri** : It’s done. I’m heading back to you now.

**Victor** : I’m proud of you <3 Makka and I will be waiting.

**Yuuri** : <3

Despite everything that had just happened, Yuuri couldn’t help as the corners of his lips curled up into a small smile. 

The drive back to Victor’s was mercifully short, and Yuuri felt emotionally exhausted by the time he pulled in. He took a few moments to take some deep breaths to calm himself, then grabbed his suitcase and exited the car. Yuuri walked to Victor’s door practically on autopilot, still struggling to comprehend everything that had happened and what exactly he was feeling. 

After the first rap of Yuuri’s knuckle on Victor’s door, it swung open, and Yuuri was immediately pulled into a suffocating embrace. “Yuuri!” Phichit squealed. “I’m so proud of you!”

“Phichit...air.” 

“Whoops.” Phichit released Yuuri, beaming. “Sorry.” He did not look sorry at all.

Makka raced into the hallway, running circles around Yuuri and barking. “How about we bring this inside, so my neighbors don’t file a noise complaint?” Victor called from inside the apartment. 

Yuuri nodded, and reached for his suitcase, but Phichit was faster and grabbed it first. “You go sit down, I’ll take care of this.” 

Smiling gratefully, Yuuri nodded and let Phichit drag his suitcase down the hall. He made his way over to the couch, sighing heavily as he dropped onto the cushions. Yuuri reached out to Makka, encouraging her to come within petting range. She happily obliged, and Victor sat down next to Yuuri shortly after. Yuuri leaned his head on Victor’s shoulder, and Victor threw an arm around him. 

“You ok?” Victor asked.

“I think so.” Yuuri sighed. “It honestly still doesn’t feel real.” 

Victor nodded in understanding. “That’s how I felt after I broke up with Seb. It’s so many years of your life, and you just don’t know how to feel about never getting them back.” 

Yuuri nodded, then winced. “Oh...speaking of Sebastian,” Victor raised an eyebrow, “I may have yelled at him,” Yuuri admitted. 

“What? When?” 

“He was still there when I came home to confront Anna.” He couldn’t help but chuckle a bit. “You should have seen their faces when I called him by name. They had no idea that I knew.” 

Victor snorted. “I can picture the shock on his face. So, why did you yell at him?”

Yuuri shrugged. “I just thought about him making you cry, and it made me want to tell him off.”

“So, you went home to confront your cheating wife, and ended up yelling at my ex to defend my honor?”

Yuuri winced again. “It does sound weird when you put it that way.”

Victor grinned with delight. “No, I love it! Wow Yuuri, you’re like my own personal Prince Charming!” Victor laughed.

“What’s so funny?” Phichit asked as he re-entered the living room, sitting on the opposite side of Yuuri and squishing him between himself and Victor. 

“Oh, Yuuri was just being wonderful, as usual.” 

“Water is wet. The sky is blue. Are we done talking about obvious things so Yuuri can explain what happened?”

Yuuri covered his face with his hands. “Quit being embarrassing, you two. Not that I’m not happy to see you, but what are you doing here anyway, Phichit?”

“Victor told me what was going on, and invited me over.” 

Yuuri looked up at Victor, surprised. “You did that? For me?” 

“Of course. He’s your best friend, I figured you’d want him here.”

Yuuri nodded affirmatively. “Thank you.” He turned to Phichit, pulling him into a hug. “And thank you for being here. Sorry I didn’t tell you what was happening, it was a bit of a whirlwind.”

“No worries. Do you want to talk about it? Or just eat ice cream and watch Disney movies?” Phichit asked while rubbing Yuuri’s back soothingly.

“Both?” Yuuri asked hopefully.

Victor chuckled, then got up off the couch. “Both is good. I’ll be right back.” He walked away, and Yuuri heard the freezer opening and closing. 

“You’re doing better than I expected,” Phichit commented. 

With a shrug, Yuuri replied, “I’m still processing everything. I think it will all hit me soon enough.” 

“Probably,” Phichit agreed. 

Victor returned with 3 tubs of ice cream, a plate of cookies, and an assortment of Disney movies. “Take your pick,” Victor offered. 

Yuuri grabbed a cookie, the tub of peanut butter fudge ice cream, and the Blu-ray set of Moana. Victor handed him a spoon, and took the movie from him so he could start it. Yuuri eagerly dug in, the fudgy goodness soothing his soul. 

They only made it to the second song, before the tears started again. Yuuri started sniffling, so Victor and Phichit both put an arm around him. “She said I was boring,” Yuuri murmured. 

“What?” Victor and Phichit asked in unison.

“Anna. She said that’s why she did it. Because I’m boring,” Yuuri lamented. 

Both of his friends stiffened beside him. “Yuuri, you’re not boring,” Phichit said firmly. 

Victor nodded. “Agreed. That was the reason she gave? That she thinks you’re boring?” He sounded indignant. 

“Yeah,” Yuuri confirmed. 

Phichit started, “No matter what she said, it’s not your fault--”

“I know.” Yuuri cut him off. “I know that she should have talked to me if she was unhappy. She had multiple opportunities, and she didn’t. For the most part, I don’t feel like it’s my fault anymore. But regardless,” Yuuri continued, “she was so unhappy with me that she decided to cheat. What does that say about me?” 

“It says that you weren’t with the person who you were meant to be with,” Victor insisited. “If Anna thought you were boring, it was because she didn’t bother to actually get to know the real you. We’ve known each other for a few months now, and I’ve never been bored by you.” 

“We’ve known each other since we were toddlers,” Phichit added, “so I can tell you with absolute certainty that you’re not boring. I think I would’ve noticed by now if I got bored every time we hung out.” 

“But we were married for 5 years. That’s a long time.”

Phichit shook his head. “But in that time, how much did she actually know you? I mean, for real?” He started counting on his fingers. “She never came to our game nights, she hardly ever watched you dance, she always declined invitations to our camping trips, and,” Phichit added dramatically, “she never bothered to ask about your pole dancing!” 

Victor gasped. “Yuuri! You pole dance? Why didn’t you tell me?”

Yuuri groaned. “Why did you bring that up?” He glared at Phichit, which was probably significantly less menacing because of his tear filled eyes. “Yes, I’ve taken some lessons. It’s really good for core and upper body strength.” 

“And flexibility,” Phichit said suggestively while elbowing Victor. “And I think 6 years of lessons and assisting classes is a little bit more than ‘some lessons’.”

Victor looked delighted. “Wow! You’re so talented, Yuuri!” He leaned over to whisper in Yuuri’s ear. “Maybe you could show me sometime?” 

Yuuri blushed, and Phichit and Victor laughed. “Seriously, though,” Phichit started again, “how can she say you’re boring when you can bend yourself in half around a stripper pole? I can’t believe she never wanted to see you do a routine or anything.”

“She just thought it was a weird hobby,” Yuuri murmured. 

Victor tsked, but Yuuri noticed there was a slight flush on his cheeks. “Are you sure _she’s_ not the one that’s boring? Because it sounds like she actively avoided any activities where your personality shined through. What did you like to do together?”

Yuuri shrugged. “Mostly cliche couple things. Candlelit dinners, movies, picnics, museums, couples painting classes, that sort of stuff.”

“And do you like that sort of stuff?” Victor asked.

Shrugging again, Yuuri replied, “I don’t dislike it. But I definitely had more I wanted to do that we never got around to. Even just slight variations, like a drive-in rather than a movie theater, or a cooking class instead of a painting class.” Yuuri sighed sadly. “I always wanted to take a trip up to the Sleeping Bear Dunes together. She wasn’t interested.”

“And Anna said _you’re_ boring? It sounds like you offered plenty of opportunities to try something exciting, and she never took you up on it. I think you were just with someone that you weren’t actually very compatible with,” Victor said matter-of-factly. “I still can’t believe she actually said that.” He shook his head. 

“Maybe,” Yuuri replied. “I was so sure that she was ‘the one’, you know? I feel so stupid now for thinking that.” He sniffled.

“You’re not stupid,” Phichit said firmly. “You and Anna were great in the beginning, I remember how happy you were. You got married so fast, and you were so young, maybe you just both grew up and changed too much?” 

“Maybe,” Yuuri repeated. “I just...I’m still sort of in shock. I can’t believe we’re broken up.” His sniffles continued, and then he started sobbing as the day caught up to him. He had broken up with his wife of 5 years. He was getting a divorce. Yuuri leaned into Victor’s shoulder and cried, while Victor and Phichit murmured soothing words and held him tight. 

Once the movie ended, Yuuri felt exhausted. The intense emotions of the day had left him drained, so he bid Phichit goodnight to get ready for bed. Phichit hugged him and made Yuuri promise to call him if he needed anything, any time of day. Yuuri agreed, then waved goodbye to his best friend as he walked out the door. 

Victor cleaned up the living room while Yuuri took Makka out. Then, they both changed into their pajamas and performed their various night time rituals. As Yuuri was just about to crawl into bed, Victor knocked on his door to check on him, before saying goodnight. He ducked out of Yuuri’s, room, heading back to his own. Yuuri only hesitated for a few seconds before running after him. 

“Victor?”

“Hm?”

Yuuri bit his lip. “Could I...sleep with you again?” 

Victor smiled. “Of course.” He opened the door for Yuuri, and Yuuri stepped inside, immediately curling up in Victor’s bed. 

Makka nestled herself against his legs, and Victor slid under the blankets beside him, switching off the light. Yuuri tried to focus on Makka and Victor’s breathing to calm himself, but it wasn’t enough to hold back the tears. He turned his face in his pillow to quiet the sobs, but Victor heard them anyway. Yuuri felt the mattress dip as Victor scooted closer to him, gently rubbing his back. Yuuri immediately turned into the warmth of Victor’s body, tucking his face under Victor’s chin and into his neck. Victor wrapped his arms around him, whispering comforting words until Yuuri was finally able to fall asleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next time: With Anna out of the picture, how will Yuuri and Victor's relationship develop?


	7. Cry Me A River

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Yuuri tries to move on with his life after the break up.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I was so busy last week, I didn't realize that we're more that halfway done :O 
> 
> As always, your comments make me so happy! I hope you all continue to enjoy this fic! There's gonna be lots and lots of fluff from here on out :)

“We’ll be right here with you,” Victor assured, squeezing Yuuri’s hand. 

Yuuri gulped, then stepped into his former apartment building. Victor, Phichit, Sara, and Mila followed closely behind him. With so many sets of hands and 4 cars between them, Yuuri was hopeful they could get everything in one trip. He didn’t want to have to face his now ex-wife any more than necessary. 

Instinctively, Yuuri pulled out his keys and was about to unlock the door, when he remembered that he didn’t actually live here anymore. He knocked instead, and Anna answered less than a minute later. She looked at Yuuri sadly, then narrowed her eyes at Victor. She stepped out of the doorway, gesturing for them to come inside. 

The group entered, and Anna retreated to the couch, still not saying a word. Yuuri preferred it that way, as he wasn’t sure what he would even say to her. His friends were looking at him expectantly, waiting for directions. They all started to set down the empty boxes and bags they were carrying. 

“Oh, um. Phichit, you know my closet, could you start grabbing my clothes? And do you think you could help him, Sara?” Phichit and Sara nodded, then made their way toward Yuuri’s former bedroom. “Mila, could you grab my electronics? The PS4 and games are mine, the Switch is not.” She nodded, then started untangling cords behind the TV. “And Victor, I need your help with my dishes. I can’t reach the top shelves.” Victor smiled, then followed Yuuri into the kitchen.

They all got to work. Victor grabbed Yuuri’s mugs and glasses on the higher shelves, and handed them to Yuuri to package them in a box. They moved on to plates and silverware, which were family heirlooms according to his mother, then started grabbing cooking supplies. He cooked much more often than Anna, so most of the sauces and spices were his. Victor pointed out which ones he already had, so Yuuri was able to leave a few behind. 

While both Victor and Mila were carrying full boxes down to the cars, Yuuri double checked the kitchen to make sure he had everything. He sighed sadly as his eyes flitted over a picture of him and Anna on the fridge from their wedding day. 

“Feels like a lifetime ago,” Anna said softly behind him.

Yuuri turned around, nodding in agreement. “It really does.” He noticed that she hadn’t taken her ring off yet. 

Anna hesitated, then asked, “You’re living with Victor, then?” 

Yuuri nodded again. “Yeah. At least for now.” 

“Hm.” She was about to say something else, but backed down when Victor and Mila re-entered the apartment. Victor scowled at her, and she retreated to her place on the couch. 

“Everything ok?” Victor asked, placing a gentle hand on Yuuri’s lower back.

“Yeah,” Yuuri confirmed. “I think I’ve got everything from here. Wanna help me sort movies?” 

“Sure.” 

The two of them joined Mila in front of the TV, and they sifted through Anna and Yuuri’s movie collection. They made piles for Anna, Yuuri, and “unsure”. There were a few movies that neither of them remembered buying but both wanted. A few rounds of rock, paper, scissors determined the owner. Yuuri got the Lord of the Rings trilogy, but Anna got the first 3 Avengers movies. Yuuri definitely remembered pre-ordering Endgame, so he took it immediately. 

Eventually, Phichit and Sara started carrying out boxes of clothes, and Mila rushed to help. Meanwhile, Victor helped Yuuri gather decorations, photos, and knick-knacks. They grabbed books off the bookshelf, and a few more toiletries from the bathroom, then Yuuri did one more sweep of the apartment. All of their furniture had been bought together, and since he was moving into Victor’s already furnished apartment, he didn’t have a use for them. He had already told Anna she could keep all of the furniture. 

“I think that’s it,” Yuuri announced as Mila, Sara, and Phichit carried the last few boxes down to the cars. Rising from her place on the couch, Anna made her way over to where Yuuri and Victor were standing in the kitchen, looking like she had something on her mind. Victor stayed nearby, but gave Yuuri space to talk to her. 

Anna frowned “You don’t have to do this.” She reached into her pocket, and pulled out Yuuri’s former wedding ring, offering it to him.

Victor tensed, and Yuuri sighed. “I haven’t changed my mind,” Yuuri insisted. He gently curled Anna’s fingers over the ring and guided her hand back to her side. 

“I can do better,” Anna promised, offering the ring again. “I know what I did was wrong, and I’m so sorry. I can change, I swear.” Yuuri heard Victor scoff behind him, and Anna glared at him. “You have something to say?” she asked bitterly, her hand dropping back to her side.

Turning, Yuuri expected to see Victor looking angry, but was shocked to find him smiling instead. It wasn’t a smile that Yuuri had ever seen before. It wasn’t Victor’s toothy grin, or heart-shaped smile that Yuuri loved so much. It was a strange, stiff expression, and the smile didn’t reach his eyes. 

“So,” Victor said with false cheer, “now that Yuuri has realized he’s better off without you, you’ve suddenly realized that what you were doing was wrong? How convenient.” 

Anna gaped at him. “Excuse me? Who do you think you are? His boyfriend or something?” She clenched her fists at her sides. 

Victor held a finger to his lips, the fake smile still plastered on his face. “If I was, I would make sure to actually appreciate Yuuri and treat him right, unlike you.” 

“We’ve been married for 5 years--”

“And now you’re not,” Victor said sharply, still smiling. “Wow, you must have messed up spectacularly!” 

“You...I...we...” Anna stuttered. 

“Oh, how eloquent!” Victor said savagely. “You know, as much as I am enjoying this conversation, Yuuri and I have some unpacking to do so we must be going.” He wrapped an arm around Yuuri’s waist, a little possessively. 

Stunned, Yuuri held the key out to Anna, who numbly grabbed it from his hand. The ring dropped out of her grip, clattering on the floor and rolling out of sight. She looked torn between shock and anger, and it was unclear which way she was gravitating. Yuuri nodded slightly to Victor, and his arm tightened around Yuuri’s waist as he led Yuuri out of his former apartment for the last time. 

As soon as the door closed behind them, Victor’s expression morphed into one of worry. “You ok?” 

“Yeah, just a little surprised. I wasn’t expecting her to be that upset about me leaving,” Yuuri admitted. 

“She probably just realized that you were really serious. It may not have actually hit her until now. Also,” Victor said with a smile, one more genuine than the sharp ones directed at Anna, “you’re a catch. She didn’t realize what she had until she lost it.” 

Yuuri laughed dryly, if only to keep himself from crying. When they reached the cars, his friends noticed right away that something was wrong and rushed over. 

“What happened?” Phichit asked as soon as he reached Yuuri and Victor, placing a comforting hand on Yuuri’s shoulder. 

“Anna just…” Yuuri tried to form words, but started crying instead. 

Phichit scowled. “Do I need to go tell her off? Because I will.” 

Yuuri shook his head. “I just want to go back to--” he caught himself as he started to say that he wanted to go back to Victor’s place. “I just want to go home,” he said softly, frantically wiping away fresh tears. 

“We can finish putting these boxes away and Mila can drive your car,” Sara suggested. “Victor, your car is full anyway, do you want to take him?” 

Victor nodded, then guided Yuuri toward his passenger seat. Yuuri got in, then handed Victor his keys to pass off to Mila. “Thank you all for being here,” Yuuri said sincerely, and his friends smiled.

\------------------------

It had been about two weeks since Yuuri had moved in with Victor, and they had fallen into an easy routine together. Yuuri had to be at work earlier than Victor some days, but Victor was a morning person, so he was happy to wake up whenever Yuuri did, even if he was supposed to have the morning off. Yuuri had yet to sleep in his own bed, finding that he enjoyed Victor’s soothing presence as he was falling asleep. The problem was that Victor admitted he usually slept naked, and was only wearing pajamas to make Yuuri more comfortable. He hated sleeping in clothes and found them uncomfortable and restrictive. 

Yuuri was fairly certain he would melt into a puddle of goo if he saw Victor naked, so they compromised, and Victor kept a pair of tight briefs on whenever they got into bed together. However, that meant that Yuuri still had to deal with seeing Victor’s bare chest, toned legs, and undergarments that actually left very little to the imagination. Every night. It wasn’t exactly helping his overactive imagination, especially when he would wake up pressed against Victor’s mostly-naked body. His mind had started to churn out a new steamy dream almost every night. Fortunately, he had yet to have a dream that ended as messy as the first one, but he still found himself having to come up with excuses about why he couldn’t get out of bed until Victor left the room in the morning. 

The only other complaint Yuuri had about living with Victor was how obnoxiously chipper he was in the morning. It reminded Yuuri of when he and Phichit lived together, when he had to deal with his friend’s morning sing-alongs and enthusiastic babbling. However, it was a small price to pay for getting to see Victor every day.

They cooked together, walked Makka together, and spent most of their free time together. Victor knew how Yuuri liked his tea in the morning, and always had a mug ready for him, and Yuuri knew that Victor liked to top Makka’s kibble with a single dog biscuit, so he always made sure the treat bag was nearby. Realistically, Yuuri knew all of the new shine and glamour from living with a new roommate and current infatuation would wear off eventually, but he tried not to think about it because they were so happy. He still had bad nights, or moments when something would remind him of Anna and he would start to tear up again, but he wasn’t surprised that he needed time to heal. 

The one subject they both had avoided thus far was their mutual attraction, or what they wanted to do about it. That’s why, when a pair of arms wrapped around Yuuri’s waist from behind while he was drying dishes one night, he was a little surprised. 

Victor leaned into him, resting his chin on Yuuri’s shoulder. “Yuuuuuuri! I’m so lonely without you!”

Yuuri rolled his eyes good naturedly. “You can see me from the living room, Victor. I’m just finishing the dishes.” 

He nuzzled Yuuri’s neck. “But I can’t touch you over there!” Victor ran his hands over Yuuri’s abdomen for emphasis. 

Yuuri’s breath caught, his grip on the dishrag faltering. “V-Victor.” 

“Yes, my Yuuri?” His warm breath tickled Yuuri’s neck, making him shudder. 

Swallowing hard, Yuuri debated his next words, and his next course of action. He wanted to melt into Victor, to give in to what they both wanted, but he was terrified. 

Victor must have sensed his hesitation, because he pulled back slightly. “Do you want me to stop?” he asked. 

Yuuri glanced down at his ring finger, which still had a pale outline from where his ring had sat for years. He and Anna were done, that was certain. They were broken up, and Yuuri had contacted a lawyer to start the process. The divorce was uncontested, so his attorney was confident that they would get the official decree shortly after the 60 day waiting period. At this point, their marriage was done, regardless of the paperwork that was trapped in legal hell. Yuuri wasn’t going to wait 60 days, or even longer, to move on with his life just because the state of Michigan had a mandatory waiting period. 

“No, don’t stop.” Yuuri tried to sound firm, but his voice was shaky. 

Victor obliged, kissing the back of his neck and a sensitive spot under his ear. Yuuri let out an involuntary moan of pleasure when Victor’s soft lips pressed into his skin. His hands clenched on the edge of the sink as Victor’s lips moved to nibble on his earlobe. Victor’s hand slid under the hem of his shirt, sliding across his stomach in a sensuous caress. Yuuri felt like his skin was on fire, a prickling heat spreading from Victor’s hands on his skin and straight to his cock, which was taking a definite interest in Victor’s ministrations. He tilted his head back to loll on Victor’s shoulder, letting his hands come to cover Victor’s where they drew sweet patterns on his stomach. Victor’s lips moved over his jaw and down the line of his shoulder, pulling aside his shirt to leave little kisses on his shoulder.

Slowly, Yuuri turned in Victor’s arms, letting his own drape around the other man’s shoulders. Victor pressed him back against the counter, sliding one leg between Yuuri’s and burying his face in Yuuri’s neck. Yuuri’s body reacted extremely positively to the increased friction and he began kissing up Victor’s neck as he rutted a bit against his leg. Victor’s answering groan was sweet in Yuuri’s ears, and he buried his fingers in silky silver hair. The feel of Victor’s slight evening stubble sliding across his own cheek as they moved made Yuuri shiver. Yuuri was panting slightly as their lips came together in a needy kiss full of teeth and tongue. The pit of Yuuri’s stomach clenched with a mixture of  _ want _ and fear. He was kissing Victor. This was his first time kissing Victor, or any man, and Yuuri concentrated on the feeling. There was the prickle of stubble against his lips, the press of muscled arms around his middle, and of course the feeling of Victor’s erection pressed through their clothing against his hip. The feeling of Victor’s body was so different pressed against him, more electric and harder and hotter. Victor rolled his body against Yuuri, pressing harder into him. It was almost like...almost like having sex. Suddenly it was all a bit much. If Yuuri didn’t stop this now, they were going to end up in bed together and Yuuri’s stomach twisted with nervous guilt at that thought.

Despite knowing that his marriage was functionally over, it didn’t mean he was emotionally ready to move on. Yuuri reluctantly broke the kiss, placing a hand on Victor’s chest to gently push him back. Victor responded by resting their foreheads together as they caught their breath.

“Too much?” Victor asked breathily. 

“A bit,” Yuuri admitted, still flushed. “Anna and I are broken up, I don’t care whether or not the paperwork has gone through yet, but I still don’t quite feel ready. We were married for 5 years...I just feel a little weird jumping into this so fast. I’m sorry.” 

Victor pulled back so he could look Yuuri in the eye. “You don’t have to be sorry.” He kissed Yuuri’s forehead. “We can go at your pace.” 

“Thank you.” He took a deep breath. “I want to, by the way. I want to...have sex with you.” Saying the words out loud made him blush even more. 

Victor kissed his forehead again. “I want that too. Whenever you’re ready, and if you’re never ready, that’s ok too.” 

“You’re too good to me,” Yuuri said sincerely. 

“I was going to say that about you,” Victor joked. “But, can I ask you something?”

“Of course, you can ask me anything.” 

“What kind of sexual experiences have you had? What do you like?”

Yuuri squeaked in embarrassment, his face becoming impossibly redder. “Why do you want to know that?!” 

“If we’re going to be intimate, we should be able to talk about what we like, and what we don’t like. Communication is important, especially in a sexual relationship,” Victor said seriously. “If you’re not ready to talk about it, you don’t have to, but we should before we actually sleep together.” 

“I don’t mind telling you I just...I feel weird talking about it.”

“You shouldn’t feel weird!” Victor insisted. “I don’t mind telling you that my first lover--”

“Stop, stop!” Yuuri waved his hands frantically. “That’s making it worse! Just give me a second.” Victor pouted, but let Yuuri continue. “I haven’t been celibate, if that’s what you’re wondering.” 

Victor shrugged. “We haven’t talked about past sexual encounters before, so I don’t know.” 

Yuuri muttered, “For good reason,” under his breath, but relented and told Victor what he wanted to know. “There’s honestly not much to tell, we were pretty vanilla and I’ve never been with anyone besides Anna. But…”

“But?”

“This is gonna sound bad but...I never really felt satisfied with our sex life,” Yuuri said, ashamed. 

“Do you not like sex?”

“No, no, I like it just fine, I just never felt like I loved it. It was always just...fine. Like something was missing.” 

“Well, that won’t do,” Victor said thoughtfully. 

“What?” 

Victor leaned into Yuuri’s space. “We’ll just have to change that.” 

Yuuri gasped quietly, and Victor grinned triumphantly. “So, um,” Yuuri coughed and tried to change the subject before he spontaneously combusted. “Where do we go from here, then?”

Victor leaned back, then tapped his chin with his finger and replied, “How about a date?”

“A date?”

“Yeah, let me take you out properly.” 

“You want to date me?” Yuuri asked in surprise. 

“Of course I do! I thought that was obvious by now?” Victor said lightly, but he looked a little surprised. 

“I guess I’m just still a little shocked that you’re interested in me,” Yuuri admitted shyly. 

“Don’t be surprised,” Victor insisted softly, “I think you’re lovely.” He held a hand up to Yuuri’s cheek, caressing it with his thumb.

Yuuri’s heart was racing. “You know,” Yuuri said coyly, “kisses are ok, though.” 

Victor chuckled, then leaned in to press their lips together once more. The kiss didn’t last more than a few seconds, before Victor was pulling back with a grin. Yuuri gave him a curious look, not feeling ready to be done kissing Victor yet.

“I could go for a few more of those,” Yuuri said teasingly.

Victor shook his head. “After.”

“After? After what?”

“Our date!” Victor announced, still grinning. 

“What date?”

Victor tapped Yuuri on the head. “Weren’t you listening? I said I wanted to take you out!”

“I didn’t realize you meant right now!” Yuuri squeaked. 

“Why not now? There’s no time like the present!” He shoved Yuuri toward the door. “Let’s go!”

“Wait! What about Makka?”

“I just took her out less than an hour ago. She’s set.” Victor grabbed his keys, gesturing for Yuuri to keep walking toward the door. “Come on!” 

Victor grabbed Yuuri’s hand as he rushed out the door, and Yuuri followed helplessly. They piled into Victor’s car, and Yuuri gave up on trying to ask where they were going. It didn’t take very long for him to figure it out, when they reached the bridge.   
  


“We’re going to Belle Isle?” 

Victor grinned. “Yup! Surprise!” 

Yuuri chuckled. “It’s not like I haven’t been here before.” Victor looked unsure, so Yuuri added, “But it’s still a nice surprise. I love coming here.” 

“Good.” Sounding pleased, Victor drove them over the bridge and paid for the Recreation Passport, then navigated to the Nature Center. He parked, and both of them got out. “Have you been here specifically?”

Yuuri nodded. “Yeah, once. It’s been a long time though.” He smiled sadly. “Anna and I came here for one of our early dates.”

An arm wrapped around Yuuri’s waist, and a kiss was placed on his cheek. “Is this ok? I don’t want to bring up sad memories.” 

“Yeah.” He smiled at Victor. “I want to make new memories with you.” 

Beaming, Victor kissed Yuuri’s cheek again, then guided him toward the entrance. It wasn’t a huge facility, but they both still enjoyed seeing all the animals. Yuuri realized that Victor wasn’t just a dog person, he was an animal person. He got excited about everything, whether it had scales, fur, or gills. He even dragged Yuuri over to look at the honeybee hive, then waited in line behind a group of school children so he could pet the black rat snake that was being held by an educator. Then, he pulled Yuuri over to the fallow deer to participate in one of the feedings. 

“Yuuri! Take a picture of me!” Victor called as a group of deer gathered in front of him. 

Laughing, Yuuri pulled his phone out and snapped a few pictures of Victor grinning with his heart shaped smile. He sent them to Victor, and then posted one on his Instagram. Yuuri hadn’t actually used his Instagram since he had started messaging Victor months ago, but he felt that a picture of Victor looking so happy and carefree needed to be shared. 

He was just finishing captioning his post, when Victor suddenly announced they were going to the aquarium next. Victor was equally excited about the fish, bouncing between exhibits and reading Yuuri facts off of the educational plaques. 

“Look, Yuuri! It’s Nemo!” Victor gestured happily to a tank with clownfish. 

Yuuri chuckled, and joined Victor in front of the tank. They watched the clownfish for a little longer, before Victor was distracted by a pufferfish. Yuuri snapped another picture of him, laughing at how much Victor resembled a kid in a candy shop.

“You really like animals,” Yuuri commented. 

Victor looked back at him and nodded. “I do. Obviously I love dogs, but I’ve always had a soft spot for the less conventionally likeable ones. You know, the creepy crawlies. I just feel like they’re under appreciated.” His smile faltered. “Is that weird?”

Yuuri took Victor’s hand. “No, I think it’s sweet. But please don’t ever get a tarantula.” 

Victor laughed, and they walked hand-in-hand out of the aquarium. The next stop on Victor’s list was the Memorial Fountain, where Victor demanded a selfie. Yuuri obliged, and they ended up with a photo of the two of them, grinning with their cheeks squished together. They both looked extremely happy. Normally, Yuuri hated posting pictures of himself, but before he was even thinking about what he was doing, he posted the picture on Instagram as well. 

Putting his phone away, Yuuri asked, “Where to now?” 

Grinning, Victor responded, “The giant slide, of course!” 

“Isn’t that just for kids?” 

Victor made an offended noise. “Not unless you’re a curmudgeon!” 

“Curmudgeon? Really? How old are you?” Yuuri laughed. 

“Not too old to use the giant slide!” Victor replied jovially, dragging Yuuri toward the slide. 

A few parents gave them weird looks, but the attendant didn’t deny them entry. Yuuri had to admit that the giant slide was actually pretty fun, especially with Victor laughing next to him, silver hair blown back out of his face. They went two more times, before a child threw up at the top and got the whole slide shut down for cleaning. 

“Yikes,” Yuuri said sympathetically as the kid’s parents started apologizing to everyone. 

“Well, I was ready to move on anyway.” Victor said with a shrug, but he made a gagging noise as the kid puked again.

Yuuri very purposefully looked away from the mess. “Where to now? The sun is going to set soon and everything is going to start closing.” Plus, his feet were starting to hurt from running all around the island. 

“That’s exactly why we are going to head to Sunset Point,” Victor stated. “Let’s be cliche and watch the sunset together.” 

“Sounds lovely,” Yuuri replied genuinely. 

Once they moved Victor’s car closer to their destination, so they could leave as soon as they were ready, they made their way out to the Point, where the sun was just starting to dip below the horizon. They managed to find an empty bench and sat down, their sides touching. Yuuri reached over and took Victor’s hand, and the other man smiled in response and wove their fingers together.

They watched reds and oranges paint the sky, bathing the skyline in a warm backlight. There were plenty of other people out enjoying the view, but Yuuri felt like they were the only two people in the world. He looked over at Victor, who had his eyes fixed on the sunset in front of them, a small smile on his face. Yuuri’s first instinct was to call him beautiful, but that wasn’t a word that could do Victor justice. The word ethereal was more accurate. 

Victor noticed him staring, and turned to face Yuuri, giving him a curious look. “You’re looking the wrong way, the view is that way.” He gestured toward the sunset. 

“I think I like this view better,” Yuuri whispered.

Victor blushed, and the smile on his face grew. He leaned in toward Yuuri, and Yuuri met him halfway so their lips could come together. It was so cliche, and so perfect, kissing Victor as the sun set over the city. His heart raced, and the butterflies in his stomach intensified as Victor’s soft lips moved over his own.

He didn’t want to compare Anna and Victor, but he couldn’t help the thought that entered his mind, that nothing had ever felt so right before, even when he and Anna first got together. Even when they said “I love you”. Even when they got married. There was something about being with Victor that just felt different from anything about Anna, and in the best way.

\------------------------

Yuuri knew the phone call with his family was long overdue, but that didn’t mean he felt ready for it. As far as his family knew, he and Anna were still together and doing just fine. He wasn’t sure how they were going to take the news. 

“Do you want me to sit with you?” Victor offered. 

Yuuri shook his head. “No, I think I’d like to be alone for this. But thanks.” 

Victor smiled reassuringly. “Ok. Makka and I will be in the living room if you need us.” He whistled to Makka to follow him out of Yuuri’s room, then closed the door behind them. Yuuri heard the sound of footsteps and jingling tags retreating down the hall. 

With a final sigh, Yuuri made himself comfortable on the bed, then dialed his home phone number. The phone rang 3 times, then a voice answered, “Hello?” 

Yuuri gulped. “Hi, mom.” 

The voice on the other end of the phone gasped delightedly. “Yuuri! We haven’t heard from you in a while. How are you? How’s Anna?” His mother asked chipperly.

“Well,” Yuuri replied carefully, “that’s why I called. I have to tell you something about Anna and I.”

Hiroko squealed happily. “Is she pregnant?! Mari! Toshiya! Pick up the phone, Yuuri has some amazing news!” she yelled to the rest of their family, prompting Yuuri to hold the receiver away from his ear to avoid the increased volume. 

“No, mom wait--”

She didn’t hear him, or didn’t listen. “Oh, Yuuri, congratulations! That’s wonderful!”

“Congrats, Yuuri. Can’t believe I’m going to be an aunt,” Mari said as enthusiastically as her normal deadpan tone would allow. 

“Wonderful! We can’t wait to meet our new grandchild,” his father cheered. 

Toshiya started to say something else, but Hiroko shushed him so she could ask more questions. “Have you thought about names yet? When is she due? Are you going to throw a baby shower?”

Toshiya ignored his wife’s shushing. “Yuuri do you have a gut feeling about if it’s a boy or girl? I was right about both you and Mari, you know!” 

“Are you going to move to the suburbs, then?” Mari asked.

His whole family was babbling and yelling excitedly through the phone. Yuuri kept trying to interject, but they would just ask him a new set of questions. Finally, to make them stop, Yuuri frantically yelled, “Anna and I broke up! We’re getting a divorce!” 

There was silence on the other line, and if Yuuri didn’t hear someone’s shocked gasp, he would have thought they hung up. “What do you mean by, ‘broke up’? When?” Hiroko tried to clarify. 

Yuuri took a deep breath. “I mean, as of a few weeks ago, our marriage is done. We’re done. We’re not together anymore. The paperwork has been filed with our attorneys.” 

“What happened?” Mari asked.

“I found out that Anna has been cheating on me. For more than half a year. And she lied repeatedly when I asked if we were ok.” 

“Shit. Sorry, little bro, that’s awful,” Mari answered sympathetically.

“Oh, Yuuri. We are so sorry to hear,” Toshiya agreed.

Hiroko tsked. “I can’t believe she would do that to our boy! He’s such a handsome, smart boy. What was she thinking?” 

“Mom.”

“Does she think she could do better than our Yuuri? Impossible!” 

“Mom!” 

Hiroko stopped her rant. “Yuuri, I’m so sorry, dear. Do you want to talk about it?”

Yuuri shook his head, forgetting momentarily that his family couldn’t see him. “Not right now, I’m kind of still processing it all.” 

“Understandable,” Toshiya said. “Don’t worry, son. I’m sure you will meet the right person someday.”

Yuuri winced. “Er...I should tell you that I’m actually dating someone else now.”

There was silence again, and then Mari snorted. “Damn Yuuri, that’s quite the rebound.”

“It’s not like that!” Yuuri exclaimed. 

“Mari,” Hiroko said sternly, “I’m sure whoever Yuuri is seeing is a very nice girl. What’s her name?”

“His name is Victor.” 

This time, the silence only lasted for a few beats, but it felt like the longest one yet. “Well,” Toshiya said, and Yuuri held his breath, “you’ll just have to bring this ‘Victor’ over for dinner then!” he insisted. 

“I don’t know,” Yuuri said nervously. 

“Yuuri, we’re your family!” Hiroko scolded. “If he’s important to you, we should meet him. Does he like katsudon?”

“Um, I’m not sure.” Yuuri hadn’t thought to ask. 

“Well, you better find out and bring him over!” Hiroko said firmly. 

Mari grumbled, “Yeah, so we can decide if we need to kick his ass. No one messes with my baby brother.” 

“That’s really not necessary. Victor is a good guy,” Yuuri insisted. 

“Then there’s no reason not to bring him over. How about Sunday?” Toshiya suggested. 

“I’m not sure if he’s available--”

“Sunday is perfect!” Hiroko announced. “I will make katsudon! Oh, and I can show him your baby pictures!” 

Yuuri groaned. “That’s  _ really _ not necessary.” 

Hiroko ignored him. “We will see you both on Sunday! Love you.” 

Yuuri sighed in defeat. “Love you too. Oh, is it ok if we bring Victor’s dog? She’s a very sweet old standard poodle.” 

“How lovely! Of course she can come,” Hiroko confirmed. 

“Alright...I guess we’ll see you Sunday then.” 

His mother and father said goodbye, but Mari stayed on the line. “So,” she started, “Victor, huh?”

“Yeah. Please be nice to him, I really care about him,” Yuuri pleaded. 

Mari scoffed. “I’ll be nice if he deserves it.”   
  
“He does. I swear. I wouldn’t have been able to get through all this stuff with Anna without him.”

“You...you were with Victor before you and Anna broke up?” She sounded surprised, and slightly uncomfortable. 

“No! We were just friends. We knew we were attracted to each other, but nothing happened. I wouldn’t do that,” Yuuri insisted. 

“I believe you,” Mari replied truthfully. “I’m just surprised to hear you’re already dating someone else. You’re usually more...cautious than this.” 

He sighed. “I know. It wasn’t planned, trust me. Victor’s just...he’s special. I can’t explain it, but…” Trying to put his feelings for Victor into words was impossible. 

“Hm.” Mari said thoughtfully. “Well, I’ll try to reserve judgement until I meet him. Are you really doing ok?”

“I don’t know,” Yuuri answered truthfully. “I still don’t quite know what I’m feeling. I’m happy about Victor, but I don’t even know how to pick one description for what I feel about Anna. Betrayed. Sad. Relieved. Numb. Angry. It’s so much at once.” 

Yuuri heard the sound of a lighter on the other end of the phone. “I get that.” She exhaled, and Yuuri could picture her leaning on the wall outside their childhood home, a cigarette between her fingers. 

“I thought you quit.”

Mari huffed. “I did, but I save a few for special occasions. You know, like finding out my brother is getting a divorce because his wife cheated on him, and now he’s dating someone completely different.”

“Ugh, it sounds so bad when you put it all together like that.” 

“It does. So, who got the apartment?”

“I let Anna have it. And all the furniture.” 

Mari hummed. “Are you living with Phichit, then?”

“Uhhh not exactly,” Yuuri said vaguely, leaning his head back into the headboard. He knew his sister was not going to like this particular detail.

“Where exactly are you living, then?” she asked suspiciously. 

“In Victor’s spare room,” Yuuri mumbled. 

Mari scoffed. “Really? Doesn’t moving in with your boyfriend after a few weeks seem a little fast?” 

“We just recently decided to officially date.” 

“Oh good, you’re Facebook official? That makes it ok,” she said sarcastically. 

“That’s not what I meant!” Yuuri tried to explain. “I just meant that we were friends before. Victor offered me a place to stay once I decided to break up with Anna. Because he’s a good friend.” 

Mari snorted. “Right, a ‘good friend’. I don’t know, Yuuri. This all just sounds like a mess.” 

“Well I didn’t exactly plan for my wife to cheat on me!” Yuuri snapped. “You’re acting like I had some master plan. I’m just trying to pick my life up again and move on. You promised you would withhold judgement,” he reminded. 

“I did,” she relented. “Fine. But I would definitely not tell mom you’re already living together. She’ll freak.” Mari’s voice took on a softer tone. “I’m just worried about you. I’m afraid that jumping into a new relationship too fast will just end up with you hurt again. Most people have a bunch of casual flings after a big breakup like this. They don’t move in with their rebound guy.”

“Victor’s not a rebound guy. You’ll understand once you meet him,” Yuuri asserted. 

“Alright, if you say so. I’ll support you no matter what, and so will mom and dad. You know that, right?”

Yuuri smiled. “Yeah, I do.”

“Good,” Mari replied, sounding satisfied. “I guess we’ll see you and your new boyfriend on Sunday.”

“Yeah, see you then.” Yuuri hung up the phone, immediately burying his face in his hands. His family had reacted better than expected, but they had still acted so pushy about wanting to meet Victor. This was too fast, wasn’t it? There’s no way Victor would want to meet his family this soon! Maybe he could make up an excuse and tell them Victor was violently ill. 

Groaning, Yuuri dropped his phone on his bed, and dragged himself out of his room and into the living room, where Victor was watching TV on the couch. Makka was curled up in her dog bed, gnawing on a toy. Victor turned as he heard Yuuri enter the room. “How’d it go?”

Yuuri groaned again, and plopped down in Victor’s lap, straddling him and burying his face in the other man’s neck. Victor responded by wrapping his arms around him and rubbing his back. “That bad, huh?” 

Shaking his head, Yuuri leaned back slightly. “No, they took it ok. They’re just…” He made an incomprehensible noise. 

“I think I need a translator,” Victor joked, kissing the top of Yuuri’s head. 

“They...want to meet you,” Yuuri murmured timidly. 

“They do?” 

Yuuri nodded. “Yeah. They want you to come over on Sunday.” He suddenly leaned all the way back so he could look at Victor properly. “But you don’t have to! I know this is really fast and I’m just springing it on you so don’t feel pressured--”

Victor held a finger up to Yuuri’s lips, quieting him. “I would love to meet your family,” he reassured. 

“Really?” Yuuri confirmed as he gently pulled Victor’s hand away. 

“Really.” Victor intertwined his fingers with Yuuri’s. “I know that nothing about how we met or got together has been typical but...I care about you a lot. I really do. Whatever is going to happen between us, I’m in it for the long haul. So, meeting your family and getting to know them is important to me, because they’re important to you.” 

Yuuri smiled so hard his face hurt, then he leaned in to kiss Victor. They kissed for a few moments, slow and sweet, until Yuuri pulled back to look at Victor again. “Thank you.”

After pressing one last kiss onto Yuuri’s lips, Victor responded, “Of course, my Yuuri. I look forward to meeting them.”

With a content sigh, Yuuri leaned into Victor again, and Victor resumed rubbing his back. “Oh, they said we can bring Makka.”

Victor hummed happily. “I’m sure she will be happy to meet them too.” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next time: Victor meets the parents, and Yuuri plans a special surprise 
> 
> First kiss!!! And first date!!! They're making progress!


	8. Truly Madly Deeply

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Victor integrates himself into Yuuri's life...and Yuuri plans a surprise

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wasn't sure if I'd get this posted in time, I'm currently sitting at the airport waiting for my flight to board. But I made it! 
> 
> Your comments give me life! It makes me so happy to see how many people are invested in this story, and I love hearing all your theories.

Yuuri tightened his grip on the steering wheel, taking another set of deep breaths. “Ok. I’m ready.” He didn’t move, continuing to stare straight ahead toward his childhood home. Makka was panting behind him, drooling slightly on his shoulder, and Victor was in the passenger seat, looking at him with a mix of amusement and concern. 

“That’s the third time you’ve said that and not moved,” Victor commented. “I thought you were close with your family?” 

“I am,” Yuuri confirmed. “I just haven’t exactly brought a lot of dates home. Or any, besides Anna. Not that there were others to bring home, anyway.” 

“Ah. You’re nervous that they will be upset that you brought me?” 

Yuuri turned to look at Victor, smiling reassuringly. “No, not at all. They’re all wonderful, and supportive. I’m sure they’ll love you.” 

“What has you so concerned, then?” Victor asked in confusion. 

“I don’t know, exactly. I know they’ll like you, and that they’ll be supportive, I’m just nervous.”

Victor reached over, gently loosening the iron grip of one of Yuuri’s hands on the steering wheel. He intertwined their fingers. “Is it an anxiety day?”

Yuuri nodded, feeling relieved that Victor understood. “Yeah, I just feel on edge. This is all so much.” 

“That’s understandable, this is a big change for everyone,” Victor reassured, squeezing Yuuri’s hand. 

“So you don’t think I’m being overdramatic?” 

“Not at all. In fact, I’m nervous too,” Victor admitted. 

Yuuri raised an eyebrow. “You are?”

“Of course! I want to make a good impression on your family.”

With a smile, Yuuri replied, “Then just be yourself.” 

Victor returned his smile, then leaned in for a kiss. Yuuri obliged, their lips meeting briefly. “I’ll be here with you the whole time,” Victor murmured as they parted. Makka pushed her way in between them, drawing laughter from both men. “And so will Makka,” he said fondly, patting the poodle’s head with his free hand. 

Feeling reassured by Victor’s words, Yuuri nodded, then temporarily released Victor’s hand so he could open the door. Victor followed, and grabbed Makka from the backseat. Yuuri took another deep breath, and reached for Victor’s hand as his boyfriend made his way around the car. Victor took his hand without hesitation, and they walked together towards the front door. Yuuri hesitated for a few seconds, before opening the door to let them in. 

The sound of the squeaky hinges sent a wave of nostalgia through Yuuri. Despite living an hour away (without traffic), he rarely found the time to come home, and he definitely didn’t call as often as he should. He knew he had been especially distant with his family since he found out Anna was cheating. Yuuri had been so worried about accidentally revealing what he knew to his family before he was ready. 

Yuuri took his shoes off, and Victor did the same. The decorations were still the same, pictures of their family together on vacation, graduation photos for both Yuuri and Mari, pictures of a few close family friends, and a photo of Yuuri and Anna on their wedding day. That one made Yuuri swallow hard. Victor noticed where his eyes had wandered, and he gave Yuuri’s hand another reassuring squeeze.

“Yuuri! You’re home!” 

The sound of his mother’s excited voice snapped him out of his daze. She rushed toward them, yanking Yuuri into a tight embrace. She squeezed him, then pulled back to give him a once over. “You’re still too skinny! You better eat an extra bowl of katsudon tonight.” She shook her head disapprovingly, then moved her gaze to Victor. “You must be Victor!” 

Victor held out a hand for a polite handshake, but Hiroko just pulled him into a hug as well. “Don’t be so formal! Anyone who is important to Yuuri is important to us!” 

He returned the hug. “It’s great to meet you, Mrs. Katsuki. I’ve heard so much about you from Yuuri. He says your cooking is legendary!” 

Hiroko released Victor, looking him up and down like she had with Yuuri. “I told you not to be so formal! Hiroko is fine, or mom,” she said with a wink. Once she was done with Victor, she bent down to address Makkachin, who was wagging her tail frantically. “And who is this lovely girl?”

“This is Makkachin. She responds to Makka as well.” Victor introduced the poodle, who was now pawing at Hiroko for attention. 

She cooed, and scratched Makka behind her ears. “Aren’t you so sweet! I should be able to put together a small bowl of katsudon for you too.”

“Mom,” Yuuri chastised, “onions are toxic to dogs.” 

“Well, at least a little bit of pork, then.” Hiroko tried to compromise. 

Yuuri laughed. “A little. If it’s ok with Victor.” 

“I don’t mind if she’s spoiled a bit, but not too much people food. It upsets her tummy.” 

Hiroko nodded in understanding. “Sure, sure.” She gestured to them to come in further. “Quit standing there like a couple of strangers, come in!” 

Yuuri glanced sadly at the picture of him and Anna once more, before moving to follow his mother. She caught his gaze, and followed it to the portrait. Hiroko made a sad face. “Oh, sorry about that.” She padded over to the table and flipped the portrait down. “We must have missed that one.” After giving Yuuri a sympathetic pat, she gestured to Yuuri and Victor again to follow her. “Everyone is so excited to see both of you!” 

Yuuri almost tripped. “Everyone?” 

Hiroko glanced over her shoulder, grinning. “Minako and the Nishigoris are here too! They all wanted to see you and meet Victor!” 

Yuuri’s face paled. He had come to terms with introducing Victor to his parents and sister, but his childhood friends and former dance instructor? He didn’t know if he was ready for that. Or rather, he didn’t know if Victor was ready for that. Mari might have agreed to go easy on Victor, but Minako wouldn’t. She would look for any signs of weakness, and pounce. He thought about grabbing Victor and pulling him into another room to warn him, but his mother was already announcing their presence. 

“Look who’s here!” Hiroko called into the living room, where the rest of Yuuri’s family and closest family friends were lounging on the couches. 

They all greeted Yuuri excitedly, and Yuuri gulped. “Um, everyone, this is Victor.” 

The entire group rose at once to greet Yuuri and Victor properly. Makka was thrilled, but Yuuri was petrified, and Victor looked overwhelmed. Hiroko was at least able to get them all to greet the pair one at a time.

First, Yuuri’s father pulled him into a hug, then repeated the gesture with Victor. He seemed genuinely as happy to meet Victor as Hiroko had been. Mari, however, was another story. She approached Victor with a neutral expression, before offering a polite handshake. 

“Mari Katsuki. Yuuri’s older sister.” Victor probably couldn’t tell, but Mari’s voice held a hint of suspicion. Yuuri could also see that she was gripping Victor’s hand quite hard as they shook. 

Victor was a good sport about it. “Nice to meet you,” Victor said genuinely. 

Mari narrowed her eyes, releasing Victor’s hand. She sized him up one more time, before turning to Yuuri and offering a brief hug. 

Next up, Minako approached them, and Yuuri barely suppressed a groan. Minako was an old friend of the family, and fiercely protective of Yuuri and Mari. He could remember Minako chasing off bullies and yelling at parents who refused to talk to their children who were picking on Yuuri. It was going to take a lot of convincing to get her to like Victor, especially after what happened with Anna. She had never been quite comfortable with him and Anna together. 

Minako hugged Yuuri, but didn’t even bother offering a handshake to Victor. Yuuri cleared his throat, hoping Minako would get the hint to play nice. “Victor, this is Minako Okukawa, my former dance instructor and friend of the family. Minako, this is my boyfriend, Victor Nikiforov.” 

Victor’s face lit up. “Oh! You’re the instructor that got Yuuri interested in dance!” 

“I am,” Minako replied flatly.

“Yuuri is incredible. It’s an honor to meet the person that trained him.” He held out a hand. 

Minako eyed the hand warily, but didn’t take it. “You’ve seen Yuuri dance, then?”

“I haven’t seen him perform, but Phichit showed me some videos. And we danced together a few weeks ago.” 

That surprised Yuuri. “You’ve seen videos of me dancing?” 

Victor turned to Yuuri and nodded, letting his arm relax at his side. “Yes. Phichit showed them to me the night you...the night he was over. You were amazing! I’d love to see you in person some time, but Phichit said you don’t really perform anymore.” 

Yuuri blushed, catching sight of Minako’s expression. She was looking at Victor curiously, though not hostile. “Hm,” she stated, moving out of the way so Yuuko could tackle Yuuri into a bear hug. 

“Yuuri! We’ve all missed you so much!” 

The suffocating hug was followed by a rough pat on the back from Takeshi, and three shrill voices dancing around him.

“Uncle Yuuri! You’re back!”

“Who did you bring home?”

“Is it true you’re divorcing your wife?” 

“Girls!” Yuuko scolded, releasing Yuuri from the hug. “Be nice to Yuuri and Victor.” She gave them both an apologetic look, before offering to shake Victor’s hand. “Yuuko Nishigori, and this is my husband Takeshi. These three monsters are our daughters, Axel, Lutz, and Loop, who _promised to behave_ ,” she said sternly, and the girls backed down. 

Victor shook her hand. “Nice to meet you.” He reached out to Takeshi next, who introduced himself a little more gruffly than his wife. He eyed Victor up and down with a slight frown, then gathered the triplets and herded them out of the room. 

Yuuko sighed. “I’m sorry about all of that. The girls are very excited to see you, and Takeshi...well you know how he is.” She turned to Victor. “He’s just worried about Yuuri. He’ll come around when he gets to know you.” 

Victor nodded, and addressed Yuuri. “It’s nice to know that you have such a big support group.” 

“Yeah,” Yuuri agreed, “it is. But they don’t have to be so rude to you.” 

“I’m not offended,” Victor promised. “They don’t know me yet, and I can understand why they’re wary.” 

Yuuri smiled at him and stretched up to kiss Victor’s cheek. “Thank you for understanding. I’m sorry this was so much more overwhelming than I expected. I didn’t know everyone would be here.” 

Yuuko gave him a sympathetic look, but was smiling slightly at Yuuri’s display of affection. “Your mom’s idea. She thought we would all want to be here to support you considering…” she trailed off, looking unsure about what she should say.

“Considering I’m in the middle of divorcing my cheating ex-wife?” Yuuri supplied. 

Yuuko winced. “Yeah, that. Do you want to talk about it?” 

Yuuri shook his head. “Not right now.” 

“Ok,” Yuuko said with a nod. “I’ll give you two some time, then. I’ll try and keep Hiroko from dragging you off somewhere, I’m sure you need a few moments to breathe.” 

Yuuri smiled gratefully. “Thanks, Yuuko.” 

She stopped to greet Makka, who was looking quite unhappy at being ignored thus far, then left the room to give Yuuri and Victor some brief privacy. Yuuri groaned, letting his head fall forward into Victor’s shoulder. Victor used the hand not holding Makka’s leash to massage Yuuri’s scalp, which always helped him relax. 

“Sorry,” Yuuri mumbled into Victor’s shirt. 

“Don’t be. It’s sweet that they care so much. Besides,” he chuckled, “you handled Yuri, I can handle this.” 

Yuuri wrapped his arms around Victor, tilting his head up so he could look into Victor’s eyes. Victor was smiling softly at him, showing no signs of anger or frustration on his face. “Thank you,” Yuuri whispered, leaning upward so he could press their lips together. It was a slow, gentle, reassuring kiss, but it still made butterflies flutter in Yuuri’s stomach. He settled one hand on Victor’s waist, the other on his neck. Victor’s fingers were still buried in his hair, and he tightened his grip just slightly. Yuuri suppressed a groan at the feeling, pressing his lips harder into Victor’s. Victor seemed to have noticed Yuuri’s reaction, because he tightened his grip even more. 

This time, Yuuri gasped. He was about to dive in for more, when a throat cleared behind them. Yuuri immediately pulled away from Victor, his face flushed. Mari was leaning on the door frame, staring at the two of them with her eyebrows raised. Yuuri felt a strong wave of embarrassment at being caught making out with his boyfriend by his sister. 

“I was just dropping in to tell you that you could let the poodle loose, if she is ok with kids,” Mari said evenly, stepping forward to pet the excited pooch. “What’s her name?”

“Makkachin,” Victor replied, a little breathily. “Yes, she’s great with kids. But I still like to watch her to be safe.” 

Mari nodded. “Whenever you’re ready then. Everyone went outside.” She paused, then shrugged. “Carry on, I guess.” She stepped away from the doorframe, disappearing around the corner. 

“Oh my god,” Yuuri squeaked, “I can’t believe my sister just caught us making out like a couple of teenagers.” 

“Yeah, not exactly the first impression I was hoping for,” Victor agreed. “She didn’t seem upset though.”

Yuuri sighed. “No, she didn’t. But she will probably tease us about it.” 

“Teasing, I can handle,” Victor assured. 

“You say that now…” Victor had yet to deal with a combined front from Mari and Minako. They could be relentless. He sighed again. “Well, we better go back to everyone before someone else comes looking for us.”

“Alright, lead the way.” 

They grabbed their shoes, then made their way to the sliding door leading to the backyard. Victor unclipped Makka’s leash, the poodle immediately taking off to greet people as soon as the door slid open. Yuuri grabbed Victor’s hand, leading him out. 

Even though he still felt anxious about his family meeting Victor, he couldn’t help but smile at the scene in front of him. Mari and Minako were standing close together, whispering and sipping their drinks. Yuuri’s father was chatting animatedly with Yuuko, while Takeshi chased the triplets around the yard. They laughed delightedly as Makka ran a circle around them in her excitement. 

“Did you play out here a lot where you were young?” Victor asked, gesturing to a playset with swings and a slide. 

Yuuri nodded. “Yeah. Phichit’s family used to live across the street, and Yuuko and Takeshi lived down the block, so they came over all the time. They thought about taking it down when I was a teenager, but then Yuuko got pregnant, so they wanted to keep it for her.” 

“That’s nice of them.” 

“Yeah,” Yuuri agreed. “Our house was always kind of a gathering place.”

“It’s a good place for it. Spacious yard, large kitchen. Perfect for hosting.” He held Yuuri’s hand to his lips and kissed it. This had quickly become one of Yuuri’s favorite gestures, making him blush every time. “I’m just glad that you brought me here to be a part of everything.” 

Yuuri smiled warmly. “I’m glad you’re here.” He returned the gesture, placing a brief kiss on Victor’s knuckles. “I just wish we had been warned about the extra company.” 

Victor chuckled. “It wouldn’t be family without a few unexpected surprises.” 

“True,” Yuuri agreed with a laugh. 

Hiroko strolled over to Yuuri and Victor, carrying a plastic frisbee. “We don’t have any dog toys, but I found this in the garage. Would Makka play with it?” She held the frisbee out to Victor.

He took it gratefully. “Yes, she loves chasing frisbees! That’s very kind of you to think of her.” Makka was on her back, having her belly scratched by Minako. When Victor whistled, she rolled over onto her feet and trotted to her owner, tongue lolling out of her mouth. He showed her the frisbee, and Makka barked excitedly. Victor threw it, and Makka took off after it. The triplets cheered, and rushed over to Victor.

“Can I throw it?” 

“No, I want to!”

“Let me!” 

Yuuri was about to intervene, but Victor laughed. “Everyone can have a turn!” Makka came bounding back, dropping the frisbee at Victor’s feet. He picked it up, and gestured to the triplets to come closer. He demonstrated the proper technique to throw the frisbee, then handed it to Loop. She tried to throw it like Victor showed her, but it just flopped on the ground a few feet away. Makka was not discouraged, pouncing on it happily. Victor showed her again, and the second time she threw it, the frisbee went twice as far. The other two girls bounced up and down, impatient for their turns. 

Hiroko placed a hand on Yuuri’s shoulder. “I could use your help inside with the food.” 

He glanced at Victor, who was now showing the girls how to ask Makka to sit before throwing the frisbee. “I don’t want to leave him alone.”

“Oh, he’ll be fine! I don’t want to get behind on the food, or everyone will start getting cranky from hunger,” she insisted. 

Yuuri relented, but only after telling Victor where he was going. He walked up to Victor and the girls, placing a hand on his arm to get his boyfriend’s attention. Victor turned to him, beaming. “Doing ok?”

Victor nodded. “Yes, we’re doing great! The girls were just taking turns throwing the frisbee for Makka. They have such wonderful manners,” he praised, and the girls grinned. 

Resisting the urge to tell Victor that they were being unusually well-behaved, Yuuri smiled. “Glad you’re having fun over here. Are you ok if I go inside to help my mom for a bit?” 

“Yes,” Victor confirmed, “but I will miss you terribly,” he said with an exaggerated pout. 

Yuuri laughed, and kissed Victor on the cheek. The girls all made gagging and grossed out sounds. “Just scream if you feel like your life is in danger,” Yuuri joked, although a quick glance at Minako made him worried that the threat might be real. She was staring at Victor impassively, and Yuuri was worried she would pounce the second he walked away. He was debating staying outside with Victor, but his mother appeared and ushered him into the kitchen. 

The backyard was visible through the kitchen window, and Yuuri kept glancing anxiously outside. Minako hadn’t approached Victor, but he couldn’t help imagining a million different possible conversations between them in his head, and none of them were pleasant. He tried helping his mother chop vegetables, but she took the knife away when he almost cut his finger because he wasn’t paying attention. 

“Quit hovering, Victor will be fine,” his mother chastised after she caught him staring out the window too long.

“I don’t know, maybe I should check--”

“Yuuri. Can’t I just have a few minutes alone with my boy?” 

Yuuri looked over at her, surprised. “What?” 

Hiroko put down the knife she was using to chop vegetables, wiping her hands on a dishtowel. She approached Yuuri, placing a hand on his shoulder. “I want you to know that I love you, we all do. My heart is hurting for you over what happened with Anna, but I’m happy that you found Victor.”

Yuuri’s eyes widened. “You are?” 

She nodded. “Yes. I’ve been watching you two together, and you are so much happier and carefree than you ever were with Anna. You seem very in sync.” 

“How can you tell? You just met him.” 

“Mother’s intuition,” Hiroko said with a wink. 

Yuuri laughed, but tears were filling his eyes. He pulled his mother into a hug, and she immediately returned the embrace. “Thank you. It means a lot to hear that you approve of Victor. I can’t explain it but...he’s special.” 

“I can see that,” Hiroko said as she pulled out of the hug. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen you this affectionate with anyone. You just seem like you compliment each other very well.” 

“We do,” Yuuri agreed, wiping away the tears. “I just hope everyone else can see that too. I know they’re all worried about me, but they shouldn’t take it out on Victor.”

Hiroko glanced out the window and smiled. “I don’t think you need to worry as much as you think you do. Look.” 

Yuuri followed her gaze, his eyes landing on Victor, who was now talking to Yuuko, Takeshi, and Toshiya. Victor said something, and gestured dramatically, then all four of their heads fell back with laughter. Yuuri smiled, holding his hand over his heart. Across from the group, Mari and Minako were still together, chatting about something. His smile faltered. 

“It’s them I’m worried about. You know how overly protective they can be,” he gestured to the pair. 

Hiroko hummed in agreement. “They can be. I’ll have a word with them about not being too harsh, but I have a feeling they will warm up to Victor soon enough.”

“I hope so,” Yuuri sighed. “Victor is really important to me. I care about him a lot.” 

“And I’m sure they will see that. We can all see how different Victor is from Anna.”

Yuuri snorted. “Because he’s a man?”

Hiroko chuckled, “Not quite what I was getting at. I meant it when I said that you seem much more carefree with Victor. I know you loved Anna, but I just always felt like you didn’t quite click.” She scowled. “Still, I never imagined she would cheat on you. I have half a mind to go find her and tell her off,” Hiroko huffed. 

“Please don’t,” Yuuri begged. “I’m just trying to move on.” He sighed. “But honestly, I know what you mean. Being with Victor, even when we were just friends, made me realize the same. Anna and I just weren’t right for each other.”

“And you know it’s not your fault, right? Because I know how your anxiety can be,” Hiroko said carefully.

Yuuri nodded. “Yeah, I know. Victor and Phichit told me enough times that it eventually stuck.”

“Good,” she replied, sounding pleased. Hiroko retreated to the cutting board, returning to her chopping. “You can go rescue Victor now, why don’t you send Mari and your father inside to help me?”

“Are you sure? I can stay and help.”

“Nonsense! You and Victor are the guests of honor, go relax,” she insisted, shooing Yuuri out of the kitchen.

Yuuri went willingly, eager to be back with his boyfriend. He approached the group that Victor was standing with, noticing as Yuuko gestured toward him. Victor turned, a huge smile on his face. Yuuri couldn’t help but smile widely in return. 

“Yuuri!” Victor wrapped an arm around Yuuri’s waist as soon as he was in range. “I was just telling them about our karaoke night! Everyone wishes they could have seen you up on stage!” 

Yuuri groaned. “I don’t. It was embarrassing!” 

“You take after me, Yuuri!” Toshiya announced proudly. “We’re both very exciting drunks.” 

Yuuko and Takeshi snickered at the comparison, and Yuuri glared at them both. “Anyway,” he changed the subject, “mom asked for you and Mari to help her finish up dinner,” he told his father. 

“Ok, I’ll grab her then.” Yuuri’s father nodded to the group, then called Mari over so they could walk inside together. Once Minako was alone, she walked over to join their group. She wasn’t glaring daggers at Victor, so Yuuri took that as a good sign. 

“So, Yuuri,” Takeshi started, “I never realized you were into dudes.” 

Minako laughed as she approached the group. “Then you’re the only one. I was honestly surprised when you married a woman,” she admitted, still laughing. 

“Oh, he’s not the only one that didn’t know,” Victor said teasingly, “Yuuri didn’t realize it either.” 

Yuuri pinched Victor playfully on the arm. “I figured it out eventually,” Yuuri defended. 

“And I’m very glad you did,” Victor said genuinely.

Yuuri smiled, barely resisting the urge to pull Victor into a kiss. He caught Victor’s eye, and the other man returned the smile. They stood there for a few moments, just grinning at each other, until Yuuko broke them out of their trance. 

“How did you two meet, anyway?” She asked curiously.

They exchanged a look. “Er...it’s a long story,” Yuuri claimed, rubbing the back of his neck awkwardly. 

“Well, we have plenty of time,” Minako replied, narrowing her eyes suspiciously. 

Yuuri looked at Victor, biting his lip. Victor looked unsure, but eventually shrugged. “You can tell them if you want to.” 

With a defeated sigh, Yuuri told them an abridged version of the story. He decided to leave out the part about how he was shit-faced when he first messaged Victor. “Long story short, we met because I found out that Anna was cheating with Victor’s fiance, so I messaged him on Instagram.” 

Minako, Takeshi, and Yuuko all gaped at him, then Minako huffed. “Seriously, Yuuri?” Yuuko took Minako’s tone as her cue to leave, grabbing Takeshi and pulling him over to where the triplets were playing on the playset. 

She turned to Victor, a heavy frown on her face. “Please excuse us. I need to talk to Yuuri alone.”

Victor opened his mouth to respond, but Yuuri interjected. “No.” He grabbed Victor’s hand. “Talk to both of us, or neither of us.” He felt Victor squeeze his hand reassuringly. 

“Fine. You’re making a mistake, jumping into a serious relationship so fast. The way you met isn’t a good foundation for a solid relationship.” She turned on Victor, “You seem perfectly nice, but you’re not what Yuuri needs right now.”

“And what do I need right now?” Yuuri asked flatly.

“You need to mourn. Your wife cheated on you, you’re getting a divorce.” She scowled. “Have the papers even gone through yet?” 

“I don’t need a sheet of paper to tell me that Anna and I broke up. We’re done,” Yuuri grumbled. 

“I didn’t mean it like that, I just meant that it seems really fast,” she clarified. 

“There isn’t a rulebook that says I need to wait a certain amount of time before starting a new relationship,” Yuuri retorted. 

“No, but you should give yourself time to move on,” she insisted. 

Yuuri was about to snap at Minako, when Victor interrupted. “Minako, I know you care about Yuuri, but you’re not being fair to him. He’s an adult, he can make his own decisions.” 

“I don’t think his decisions can be trusted.”

That made Yuuri lose it. “Minako, enough! I know that Anna and I weren’t right for each other, that fact is painfully obvious now. But Victor isn’t Anna. You would know that if you bothered to take the time to actually talk to him.” He glowered at her. “Victor is supportive, and sweet, and goofy, and knowing him has made my life infinitely better. We’re together, and we’re going to stay together, with or without your support.” Yuuri’s face softened slightly. “But I would much rather have your support. Give Victor a chance. Give _us_ a chance.” 

With that final word, Yuuri stormed away from Minako, who was stunned speechless. He glanced over his shoulder, expecting Victor to be following him, but the man was still standing next to Minako. Victor started speaking in a soft tone, and Yuuri could barely hear him.

“Meeting Yuuri was the best thing that’s ever happened to me, regardless of the circumstances that brought us together. I know my word doesn’t mean anything to you, but I promise that I am being the best person that I can be for Yuuri. I can’t promise perfection, but I can promise that I will try.” He whispered something else, that Yuuri couldn’t hear. Minako’s eyes widened. Victor nodded to her, then turned away to join Yuuri. 

Hiroko chose that moment to call everyone for dinner, so the pair called to Makka and made their way inside. They didn’t say anything else, walking silently side-by-side into the house, and sitting down at the dinner table. Victor’s smile was a little forced as dinner was served, and Yuuri knew that he was still fuming, but they both started to relax as their plates were filled. Minako showed up a few minutes later, reeking of cigarette smoke. She kept glancing at Yuuri and Victor, but didn’t say anything. 

If the rest of the group noticed their sour moods, they didn’t show it. Takeshi was chatting animatedly with Victor, and Hiroko was sneaking scraps of pork to Makka under the table. The only exception was Mari, who raised an eyebrow from across the table. Yuuri shook his head, indicating he didn’t want to bring it up. Mari just shrugged in response. 

Victor paused his conversation to take a bite of his katsudon, immediately yelling out an exclamation of approval. “Amazing! This must be what the gods eat!” 

Hiroko beamed. “I’m glad you like it!” 

“Yuuri, this is the best thing I’ve ever tasted! Can you make this?” he asked, before shoving more pieces of pork in his mouth.

Yuuri chuckled, his bad mood melting away at seeing Victor so happy. “Not as well as my mom, but yes, I can. It’s my favorite.” 

“I can see why. We should make it together sometime!” 

Yuuri smiled. “I’d like that.” Out of the corner of his eye, Yuuri noticed that his friends and family were all watching them converse, varying levels of amusement on their face. Yuuri blushed under the scrutiny, and tried to change the subject, asking Yuuko and Takeshi about the ice rink that they owned together. 

After dinner, Yuuri and Victor tried to help clean up, but Hiroko still insisted that they were guests and should relax in the living room. Yuuri didn’t argue, knowing his mother would get her way regardless. They made their way into the living room, Makka trotting at their heels, and sat down on the couch together, their sides touching. Yuuko popped in a few moments later. 

“Hey, we’re gonna head out. The girls are starting to get a little cranky because they didn’t nap today,” Yuuko told them. “Sorry Takeshi isn’t here to say bye too, he’s outside trying to get the girls into the car. I just didn’t want to take off without telling you we were leaving.” 

Yuuri nodded. “I understand. It was great to see you all, say goodbye to Takeshi and the girls for me too.” 

“I will.” She turned to Victor. “It was great to meet you, Victor. I’m sure I’ll see you again.” Yuuko walked over to the couch and hugged them both, before offering a final wave and leaving the room, patting Makka on her way out. Yuuri heard the front door close. 

Yuuri sighed, but immediately tensed again as Minako entered the room. “You don’t have to be so on guard. I come in peace,” she promised. 

“You do?” Yuuri asked in disbelief. 

“I’m not going to take back what I said,” Minako said stubbornly, “but I will try to have an open mind. That’s all I can offer for now.” She went to take a step forward, but changed her mind, staying in the doorway. “I know you’re all grown up now, but to me you’ll always be the scared little boy in my ballet class, crying because the older kids wouldn’t stop teasing him.”

Yuuri frowned. “I’m not a kid anymore, Minako.” 

“I know, I know,” she relented. “But knowing what Anna did to you, it just brought back those memories. I don’t want to see you hurt again.” 

“Minako. Anna hurt me, more than I can say. But I didn’t break, and I won’t,” he replied firmly. “I know you care, but I don’t need you to protect me from bullies anymore.” He grabbed Victor’s hand. “I just need you to trust that I can stand up for myself, and that I have people who will always have my back. I’m not fighting alone.” 

Minako eyed him curiously. “Wow. You really have grown up.” Without another word, she turned and walked out of the room. 

Victor turned to him as soon as they were alone. “Are you ok?” he asked with raised eyebrows.

Yuuri nodded. “Yeah. Believe it or not, that’s as close as she gets to admitting she was wrong.”

Victor hummed thoughtfully. The house was much quieter without Minako’s boisterous laugh, or pattering feet of the triplets. Yuuri could hear the soft clanking of dishes in the kitchen, and the hushed voices of his family talking. He enjoyed the relative peace, closing his eyes and leaning his head onto Victor’s shoulder, who sighed contentedly in return. Makka started snoring at their feet, worn out from a day of running around. 

“What did you say to her outside, by the way? It looked like you surprised her.” Yuuri asked, not opening his eyes.

Victor wrapped an arm around Yuuri, but took a few moments to respond. “I don’t know if I’m ready to tell you yet.” 

Yuuri sat up so he could look Victor in the eye. Victor looked uncharacteristically nervous, so Yuuri placed a hand on his cheek and smiled. “That’s ok. Tell me when you’re ready.” 

“Thank you, Yuuri.” He smiled in return. 

Yuuri heard a pleased hum from the doorway, and turned to see his mom beaming at them. “Would you like to join us for some tea before you leave? It’s a lovely evening to sit outside.” 

Looking at Victor for confirmation and receiving a nod, Yuuri replied, “We’d love to.” 

They stood up and followed Hiroko back through the sliding door, sitting down at a small table where Mari and Toshiya were already sipping mugs of tea. Makka padded out behind them, nudging at Mari for attention, and receiving head scratches in return. Hiroko placed mugs in front of Yuuri and Victor, then sat down across from them. Victor quickly started engaging the family in conversation, asking about the family business, and telling them stories about his work in return. He chatted amicably with Yuuri’s parents, and Mari seemed to have relaxed around him. Yuuri smiled at the sight, watching as even Mari couldn’t help but chuckle at Victor’s story about a particularly naughty puppy in his training class. He sat back in his chair, feeling at ease for the first time all day.

\------------------------

Unlike the visit with his parents, Yuuri wasn’t worried about introducing Victor to his friends, because he’d already met most of them. Of his friends that attended game night, it was only Leo and Guang Hong that he didn’t know, as well as Michele, if he showed up. So, when Yuuri knocked on Phichit’s door on Wednesday for their game night, he was far more excited than anxious. 

Phichit answered the door, grinning at Yuuri when his eyes flitted over to Victor. “Hey, guys!” He stepped aside so they could come in. “Victor, I’m glad you were finally able to make it!”

Victor hummed in agreement. “Me too. I hate that it took me this long to join Yuuri. Your game nights always sounded like so much fun!” 

Yuuri laughed. “You say that now, but you haven’t had to deal with Phichit’s competitive streak yet.” 

Chuckling, Victor countered, “Ah, but he hasn’t dealt with mine either.” 

“Mmm that is true. You’re very stubborn,” Yuuri joked, elbowing Victor playfully. 

Victor grinned, and followed Yuuri further into the apartment. The pair stopped just before sitting down so Yuuri could introduce Victor to his remaining friends. Sara and Mila waved, and Phichit plopped down onto the couch and immediately started shoveling popcorn into his mouth.

“Victor, this is Leo, Guang Hong, and Michele.” He pointed to each of them in turn. “Guys, this is Victor, my boyfriend.” Leo and Guang Hong waved happily, but Michele just narrowed his eyes. Victor’s smile faltered when he caught Michele’s expression, and Sara huffed. 

“Mickey, don’t be rude! I’m sorry Victor, my brother is harmless, I promise.” She cast a pointed glare at Michele, who grumbled in response. 

“Nice to meet all of you,” Victor replied, sending a wary glance at Michele. 

“Don’t take it personally,” Yuuri whispered, “he’s like that with everyone at first.”

Victor hummed in response, and they sat down on the loveseat together. Yuuri immediately leaned into his boyfriend, grabbing the bowl of chips for them. They munched on some snacks for a while, while Phichit pulled out Cards Against Humanity. Meanwhile, the rest of the group was very interested in talking to Victor. Mila greeted him cheerfully, showing him a picture of one of the puppies in her class. Victor and Yuuri both cooed at the picture. Guang Hong was quietly polite, per his usual self, but seemed extra subdued. Yuuri guessed it was because of Michele’s presence, although the man was ignoring Guang Hong in favor of glaring at Victor.

Michele rose off the couch, ignoring his sister’s protests, stomping over to Yuuri and Victor. “I know your type,” he pointed a finger accusingly at Victor, “stay away from my sister!” He turned on Yuuri. “And you, now that you’re not married anymore, I’m going to be keeping a very close eye on you.”

Victor started to laugh, until he realized Michele was serious. “Your sister that’s dating a woman?” He raised an eyebrow at Sara, who was groaning in embarrassment, then Victor put an arm around Yuuri. “You do realize I’m here with Yuuri, right? We’re together. Also, I’m very, very gay.” 

Michele crossed his arms. “Likely story.”

“Mickey!” Sara wailed from the couch. “I told you that you couldn’t come if you were going to be like this. Knock if off,” she said harshly.

“But Sara! I’m trying to protect you from the male gaze!” 

Sara rolled her eyes. “I don’t think you have to worry about that with anyone here. And I definitely don’t need your protection. Now, sit down!” 

Michele mumbled a few threats under his breath, before joining Sara and Mila on the other couch. Sara shook her head in frustration, throwing an arm around Mila and scowling at her brother. He didn’t notice, because he was too busy glaring at Victor and Yuuri.

“So,” Leo said after popping a few pieces of popcorn in his mouth, clearly enjoying the drama, “you’re the guy that cost us all $10.” 

Victor raised an eyebrow. “I’m…sorry?”

“Don’t be!” Phichit replied with a grin. “I’m $50 richer thanks to you!” he said cheerfully. 

Victor blinked at him. “You’re welcome?” He cocked his head slightly, the way he always did when he was confused, and Yuuri barely suppressed the urge to coo over how cute he looked. Victor shot a confused look at Yuuri.

“Don’t ask,” Yuuri deadpanned, but he knew Phichit would be more than happy to share the terms of their bet with Victor.

Phichit grinned. “We all took bets on when Yuuri would have his gay awakening because of you. I was right, of course.” 

Victor chuckled. “Oh, really? And when did you have this realization, Yuuri?” He looked at Yuuri smugly. 

Yuuri blushed, and Phichit responded for him. “Right after karaoke, just like I knew he would.” Phichit had a mischievous look on his face, and Yuuri was sending him the fiercest glare he could muster. His best friend seemed undeterred, because his grin just widened. 

“Was my singing that good?” Victor joked. 

Phichit snorted. “Definitely not.” 

“Then what was it?” Victor prodded, clearly enjoying Yuuri’s flushed face.

“I don’t recall,” Yuuri lied. 

“I do!” Phichit said in a sing-song voice, pulling his phone out.

Yuuri gasped, lunging for Phichit’s phone. “Don’t you dare!” 

He was too slow, and Phichit yanked his hand out of the way before Yuuri could reach it. Then, he quickly handed the phone off to Victor, who started reading immediately, looking thrilled. Yuuri tried to get the phone out of Victor’s grasp, but he stood up, and used his taller stature to keep the phone out of Yuuri’s reach. 

Victor’s gasped in delight. “Yuuri! You had a naughty dream about me?” 

His friends wolf-whistled and laughed, and Yuuri silently started praying that the floor would just swallow him up. He gave up on trying to get the phone from Victor, plopping back onto the couch and burying his face in his hands. “I hate all of you.” 

“You love us!” Phichit disagreed. 

Yuuri groaned in embarrassment, before being startled by a pair of hands on his own. Victor gently peeled his hands away from his face, looking at him a little sadly. “Why did you think I couldn’t feel the same?” 

“You’re just so…” he gestured to Victor, “and I’m just so…” he gestured to himself. 

Realizing Yuuri and Victor were on the verge of a serious conversation, Phichit gathered the attention of the rest of the group, dealing out cards to start the game. They all took the hint, and left the couple to finish their conversation. It wasn’t exactly private, so Victor grabbed his hand and led him around the corner and into the hallway that connected to the bathroom and bedroom. They could still hear the group, but they were at least out of sight.

“Yuuri…” Victor sighed sadly. He placed a hand on Yuuri’s cheek. “I did feel the same, for the record.”

“When did you realize?” Yuuri asked curiously.

Victor hummed in contemplation. “I was doomed from the moment you told me that you just wanted me to be myself. I started slowly falling for you after that.” 

Yuuri’s eyes widened. “Really? That early on?”

Victor nodded. “It took a while to develop into more serious feelings but, yes. That was when I knew you were someone special.” 

“Oh,” Yuuri replied, cheeks flushed. He leaned in and pecked Victor on the lips. “You’re amazing,” he said breathlessly as he pulled back. 

Victor smiled. “As are you, my darling.” Yuuri blushed at the nickname. Victor leaned in close, and at first, Yuuri thought he was going to kiss him again. Instead, he whispered in Yuuri’s ear, “I’d love to hear about that dream some time.” He gently nipped at Yuuri’s ear, chuckling when Yuuri gasped in response. 

“Victor…” Yuuri was trying very hard not to lose himself in Victor while his friends were around the corner. “My sister already caught us making out, I don’t need my friends to as well,” he said as firmly as he could manage. 

“Fair enough,” Victor responded, planting a single kiss on Yuuri’s cheek, then leaning back. He offered Yuuri his hand. “Shall we?”

Still blushing, Yuuri took the hand, letting Victor lead him back to the group. They were engrossed in a round of Cards Against Humanity, laughing at a wildly inappropriate joke that quiet, shy Guang Hong had made completely out of character. Phichit handed both Yuuri and Victor a set of cards, then raised his eyebrows at Yuuri.

Yuuri smiled in response, indicating that he was ok, and Phichit gave him a thumbs up. The pair settled back on the loveseat, quickly joining in on the fun. Yuuri lost track of time, laughing with Victor and his friends. All of them, with the exception of Michele who didn’t really like anyone besides his sister to begin with, had easily accepted Victor into their group. His mind flashed to the numerous conversations he’d had with Anna, trying and failing to get her to come to game night, even once. Victor seemed like such a stark contrast, with his unbridled enthusiasm for everything and everyone in Yuuri’s life.

Yuuri looked over at Victor, who was laughing along with something Phichit said, and smiled. He thought about how patient Victor had been at his parents’ house, and how easily he fit into Yuuri’s group of friends, and it made his heart clench with happiness. Victor was trying so hard to make Yuuri happy, and to integrate into his life. It was easy to forget that they hadn’t actually been dating for very long, with how seamlessly they fit together. Victor looked back at Yuuri, his eyes sparkling with mirth, and his cheeks flushed from laughter, and the realization hit Yuuri all at once:

_I love that man._

It was the kind of realization that Yuuri thought should have scared him, but it didn’t. The thought felt right. How could he not love Victor, who was thoughtful, and patient, and understanding? Whose touches made his heart flutter, and kisses made him feel like he was floating. Victor, who had promised to go at Yuuri’s pace, and made Yuuri feel cherished. Victor had done so much for him, and so much for their relationship. 

Yuuri wanted to return the favor, to do something special for Victor, so he would know how much Yuuri cared. How much Yuuri loved him. 

\------------------------

**Yuuri** : HELP

**Phichit** : ????

**Phichit** : Are you ok???

**Yuuri** : NO

**Yuuri** : How do I seduce Victor??

**Phichit** : …

**Phichit** : are

**Phichit:** you

**Phichit** : fucking

**Phichit** : serious

**Yuuri** : ...yes

**Phichit** : I thought you were injured or something don’t scare me like that!

**Yuuri** : Sorry

**Phichit** : Also, wtf are you talking about??? I think he’s plenty seduced already

**Yuuri** : idk

**Phichit** : I’m calling you

Yuuri answered his phone on the first ring. “Hey, Phichit.” 

“Don’t ‘hey, Phichit’ me!” Phichit chastised. “First of all, don’t ever start a text like that again, I was really worried.” 

“Sorry,” Yuuri apologized again. 

“Second, I don’t know what you’re asking me, because I think you’ve already successfully seduced Victor. You’re disgustingly cute together and he’s clearly smitten,” Phichit insisted. 

“That’s not what I mean.”

Phichit sighed, sounding exasperated. “Then what do you mean?” 

“I want to do something nice for him, something special, romantic. Tell him I love him. And then…”

“And then?”

“How do I…” Yuuri swallowed down the embarrassment of the question. “How do I...you know?”

There were a few moments of silence, then Phichit burst out laughing. “Oh my god, Yuuri! Are you asking me for sex advice?” 

“Yes?” Yuuri squeaked. Phichit laughed harder, and Yuuri groaned in embarrassment. “It’s not funny!” 

“You’re right, it’s hilarious!” 

Yuuri waited until Phichit’s laughter died down, then asked, “Are you done? This is a serious problem!” 

Phichit snorted. “I really don’t think it is. Just ask him to have sex with you. I bet he’d be into it.” 

“I know he would. But I don’t know how to...with a man,” Yuuri admitted. 

“Ah. Have you tried porn?” Phichit asked seriously. 

“No!” Yuuri denied vehemently. 

“Well, start there. Keeping in mind it’s all obviously fake, you can at least see the...mechanics,” Phichit explained.   
  
“I hate this conversation. I take it all back.” 

“Too late!” Phichit responded chipperly. “I’m going to tease you about this for the rest of your life.” 

Yuuri dropped forward onto the couch where he was sitting with Makka, burying his face in the cushion. He mumbled grumpily into the phone, “You’re terrible, you’re the worst friend.” Makka boofed happily at his feet. 

“I’m the best friend, _your_ best friend to be exact!” Phichit chuckled again, then continued, “So, did you get supplies, then?” 

“Yeah, I went grocery shopping before I texted you. I’m making a garlic soy salmon.” 

Phichit tsked. “Garlic? Fish? Are you for real?” 

“What?”

“Is that really what you want your breath smelling like when you kiss?” Phichit pointed out. 

Yuuri groaned again. “I was so nervous about the sex stuff that I didn’t even think about that.” 

“See, aren’t you glad you have me?” Yuuri could practically hear the grin in Phichit’s voice.

“You’re useful occasionally,” he joked. 

Phichit huffed. “By the way, not what I meant about supplies.”

“What did you mean?”

“Seriously, what would you do without me? I’m rolling my eyes, by the way,” Phichit quipped. “Condoms. Lube. You know, ‘sex stuff’, as you put it.” 

Yuuri blushed. “Oh. That. No, I don’t have anything yet. I just assumed Victor would.” 

“Well, you know what they say when you assume things! My advice is, if you are planning a romantic evening, don’t leave anything to chance. Be ready.” 

“Ok. Yeah. I can do that. I’ll go to the drug store in a bit,” Yuuri said awkwardly. “So, what food should I make?” 

“Hmm, what are you going for?” 

“I told you, I want to seduce Victor.” 

“Right,” he barely held back a snort. “Ok, what’s the sexiest food you can think of?” Phichit inquired. “Maybe something suggestively shaped, or something that’s an aphrodisiac? Something that will set the mood, maybe something that you could eat off of each other’s bodies.” 

Yuuri gasped. “Katsudon!” 

There was a moment of silence, then Phichit roared with laughter, and Yuuri squealed in embarrassment. “Oh my god, you want to eat katsudon off of Victor?” Phichit laughed even harder, gasping for air. “I can’t believe that’s the sexiest food you can think of! I meant chocolate covered strawberries or something, not a pork cutlet bowl!” 

“No! No, that’s not what I meant!” Yuuri tried to insist, but Phichit was too busy making jokes about Yuuri licking sauce off of Victor’s abs. 

“I’m dying, oh my god. Katsudon.” The laughter started at full force again. 

“I was just thinking about how much Victor loved it at my parents’ house a few weeks ago! He wanted to make it together,” Yuuri insisted. “I didn’t mean anything weird!” 

“Ok, whatever you say,” Phichit responded, totally unconvinced. 

“I’m going now,” Yuuri muttered, unsure if Phichit even heard him over his laughter. He hung up the phone as Phichit started joking about inappropriate chopstick usage. Yuuri sighed, patting Makka on the head. Apparently, he had some shopping to do. Victor wouldn’t be off work for hours (and was frequently texting Yuuri to complain about how much he missed him), so Yuuri wasn’t pressed for time. However, he knew that if he waited he wouldn’t go, so he forced himself to drive to the store.

Buying the ingredients for katsudon was easy, even though he kept wincing when he thought of Phichit’s teasing. It was the rest of the supplies that Yuuri was worried about. He had driven himself to a drug store just down the block, and was currently sitting in his car, trying to psyche himself up enough to go in. It worked, eventually, and he nervously entered the drug store, keeping his head down to avoid making eye contact with anyone.

Mercifully, the aisle he needed was empty. He grabbed a bottle of lube quickly before he chickened out, then turned to the shelf full of condoms. As he was reaching for a box, it occurred to him that he had no idea what to get for Victor. He debated for a few minutes, picking up different boxes and reading the labels, but he ultimately couldn’t decide what to get. 

**Yuuri** : What kind of condoms am I supposed to get???

**Phichit** : How should I know? I don’t know what Victor’s dick looks like. Just pick something. 

Yuuri bit his lip in contemplation, then grabbed an innocuous looking box off the middle shelf. He hurried to the self checkout, thanking whatever deity that was listening for automated checkouts, because he didn’t think he would be able to look a cashier in the eye. 

Once he was home, Yuuri stashed the supplies in Victor’s nightstand, then put away all of the groceries. He walked Makka down the hall to Chris’s apartment, thanking the man for agreeing to watch her for the night. Makka immediately padded up to Belle, who rubbed against her. 

With Makka taken care of, Yuuri changed into nice clothes, slicking his hair back the way Victor liked. He sent a picture of his outfit to Phichit for approval, and sighed in relief when his best friend replied with a thumbs up emoji. Then, he waited. 

Looking at the clock, Yuuri realized that Victor was already late. He was starting to panic, having flashbacks from the night he had tried to plan a romantic dinner from Anna. Yuuri was ready to call the whole thing off, when his phone buzzed. 

**Victor** : Sorry I’m running late! We had an emergency with one of the dogs. She’s ok, but I got held up. On my way now!

**Victor** : I can’t wait to get home to you.

Yuuri smiled, feeling relieved. 

**Yuuri** : Neither can I. I’ve missed you. 

**Victor** : <3 

Traffic must not have been bad, because Victor was unlocking the door not too long later. “Yuuri! Makka! I’m home!” he called as he entered the apartment. He stopped in his tracks when he saw Yuuri leaning on the kitchen counter, dressed up. 

“Um, surprise?” Yuuri said nervously. 

Victor’s face broke into a huge grin. “Yuuuuuri! What’s all this?” 

“I just wanted to do something nice for you, since you’ve been doing so much for me. I bought the ingredients for katsudon if you still want to make it with me?” 

Victor gasped in delight. “I would love that!” He looked around. “But where’s Makka?” 

“Chris agreed to watch her for the night. In case we were...busy.” He blushed, and Victor crossed the room, taking Yuuri’s hands in his. 

“This is all very thoughtful of you.” Victor pressed a kiss to Yuuri’s lips. “Thank you. This is a lovely surprise.” He kissed Yuuri again. “And you look lovely, too.” They kissed a few more times, before Victor pulled away. “Let me change, I’m covered in dog hair.” 

Victor disappeared down the hall, while Yuuri finished gathering the ingredients. A pair of arms snaked around his waist as he was setting out the onions. Victor nuzzled into his neck. “My Yuuri is so sweet! Spoiling me with a nice dinner.” 

Yuuri chuckled. “You’re one to talk. You’ve been spoiling me since we got together. Let me return the favor.” He turned in Victor’s arms, trying not to blush at how much this reminded him of their heated first kiss. He placed one innocent peck on Victor’s cheek, then wiggled out of his arms. “Besides, I’m not even spoiling you that much. You’re still going to be doing part of the work.” 

Victor pouted at the loss of Yuuri in his arms. “That’s what makes it fun! I like cooking together.” 

Humming happily, Yuuri was just finishing pulling all of the ingredients out, when he realized he forgot a very crucial ingredient: the pork. Yuuri groaned, leaning his head on the fridge door. He must have been so busy worrying about his conversation with Phichit that he somehow forgot to grab the key ingredient. 

“Victor, I’m so sorry. I forgot the pork,” he admitted, ashamed. 

“That’s alright, we can run out and grab some,” Victor insisted. 

Yuuri nodded, refusing to look at Victor. “Sorry.” So much for a special night. 

“Don’t worry about it, it’s still early.” Victor grabbed his keys, and the two of them walked to Victor’s car. Yuuri was still feeling down, even though Victor was cheerfully singing along to the songs on the radio. 

It was a quick in and out trip at the grocery store, but Victor did stop to grab a tub of ice cream. Yuuri smiled as Victor showed off the flavor he chose, and Yuuri felt a little better knowing that Victor didn’t seem upset. Once they got home, Victor stashed the ice cream in the freezer, while Yuuri unpackaged the pork. 

“Ok, I think we’re ready now.” He handed Victor a knife. “Can you slice these onions?” 

Victor nodded, and grabbed the knife. He did as he was told, while Yuuri started preparing the other ingredients. They started frying the pork, and Yuuri put the finishing touches on the sauce. As he reached around to grab a tablespoon, he accidentally knocked the bowl of sauce with his hand, dumping it onto Victor, who was standing next to him. 

Yuuri gasped. “I’m so sorry!” He grabbed a damp paper towel, trying to rub the stain out of Victor’s nice sweater. A pair of hands caught his own.

“Yuuri, it’s alright. It will wash out.” Victor gently extracted the paper towel from him, dropping it in the garbage. “I’ll just throw this right in the wash. All of my clothes from today need to be washed, anyway.” He disappeared down the hall, pulling his sweater over his head as he walked. 

Yuuri tried not to panic. This was definitely not how this night was supposed to go. He was supposed to sweep Victor off his feet, tell him he loved him, and then they would spend the night making sweet love to each other. He wasn’t supposed to pick a terrible date food, or forget a key ingredient for the replacement food, or spill sauce on the person he was trying to seduce. 

Barely holding back tears of frustration, Yuuri focused on the sauce. By the time Victor returned, dressed in a light v-neck that had Yuuri licking his lips at the exposed skin, the sauce was ready. Victor smiled happily, grabbing bowls and napkins to set the table. Yuuri was just trying to understand why Victor hadn’t just called the night off yet. 

When the katsudon was ready, Yuuri served both of them and sat down across from Victor. He frowned at the bowl. It didn’t look like his mom’s. The pork was more brown than golden, and it looked kind of soggy. On the other side of the table, Victor was snapping a picture of the meal, grinning. 

“Your mom is going to be so excited to see what we made!” Victor exclaimed. 

“What do you mean?” Yuuri asked in confusion. 

“I’m sending her a picture! I told her that I’ve been wanting katsudon again, so she will be happy to hear we made it.” 

“You’re texting my mom?” Yuuri asked in disbelief. 

Victor nodded happily. “Yes! She gave me her number when we went to visit.” His expression changed, looking unsure. “Is that ok? I’m sorry, I didn’t think to ask if you were ok with it.” 

Yuuri reached across the table and grabbed Victor’s hand. “I’m really happy to hear that you and my mom are getting along. I don’t have a problem with it at all.” 

Victor beamed, and his phone buzzed. He looked down to read the text. “She says it looks lovely, Yuuri!” 

Pulling his hand back, Yuuri tried to hide his shame. He knew his mom was just being nice. “I just hope it tastes ok.” 

Victor didn’t wait to find out. He took a large bite of his meal, eyes sparkling. “It’s delicious!” Victor announced through a mouth full of food. 

Even if Yuuri knew Victor was exaggerating to make him feel better, his boyfriend’s enthusiasm still made him chuckle. Yuuri took a bite of his own, and was pleasantly surprised to find that it was decent. Not as good as his mom’s, but still tasty. 

As usual, the conversation flowed easily over dinner. He asked Victor about his day, and Victor told him about the emergency. Apparently, an owner had forgotten to pack their dog’s meds, and a dog had a seizure. The dog was fine, and they were able to get more meds, but it gave Mila a good scare. 

After dinner, they cleaned up the dishes together, and enjoyed bowls of ice cream for dessert. Yuuri kept glancing at Victor nervously as they spooned ice cream into their mouths. When was the right time to tell Victor how he felt? Now didn’t seem particularly romantic, but Victor did look very cute licking chocolate ice cream off his lips.

Yuuri swallowed hard. “Victor?” 

“Hm?” 

“I...I wanted to tell you…” 

“Yes?”

Yuuri took a deep breath, preparing himself, then sighed heavily. “You have ice cream on your chin.” 

Victor wiped his chin. “Oh, thanks!” 

It just didn’t feel like the right time. Nothing that evening had gone according to plan, and the atmosphere was ruined. How was he supposed to tell Victor he loved him after spilling sauce on him? Or serving him subpar dinner? 

At least, there was still one thing that could save the evening. Yuuri just needed to find the courage to do it. He waited until the ice cream bowls had been put in the dishwasher, before grabbing Victor’s hand and wordlessly leading him to the bedroom. As they were walking, Yuuri started kicking himself for not laying down rose petals or lighting candles. He should have been more romantic. 

Once they entered the room, Yuuri turned to face Victor, who was giving him a questioning look. Yuuri took a deep breath, then cupped Victor’s face in his hands. He thought about saying something, but his throat felt dry, so he leaned in to kiss Victor instead. Victor returned the kiss, placing his hands on Yuuri’s waist. The kiss started soft and sweet, but Yuuri quickly picked up the pace to help Victor get the hint. Victor’s hands gripped harder at his waist, and Yuuri moved his hands up to tangle in Victor’s hair. He nipped at Victor’s lip, then pulled back. 

He looked at Victor’s flushed face and kiss-swollen lips, and felt a rush of courage. Yuuri pushed Victor toward the bed, until he fell back onto the mattress. Moving quickly so he couldn’t think too much about what he was doing, Yuuri climbed on the bed and straddled him. They resumed kissing, this time with both of their hands wandering over each other’s bodies. He felt hot all over, and was almost dizzy with how much he wanted Victor. 

Yuuri pulled back again, looking down at Victor, who was breathing hard. “Victor,” he started, getting his own breathing under control, “I don’t want to wait anymore.” Yuuri reached over to the nightstand, pulling out the items he had purchased earlier that day. Blushing, he dropped them next to Victor, biting his lip as Victor picked up the bottle of lube and box of condoms. 

Yuuri expected Victor to move, to take Yuuri’s invitation and press him into the bed. What he didn’t expect, was wide eyed curiosity and confused blinking. “Glow in the dark condoms?” Victor asked in confusion.

Yuuri’s stomach dropped. He looked at the box Victor was holding and sure enough, the bolded words “Glow in the Dark” were printed on the front. He rolled off of Victor and onto his side, curling away from his boyfriend to hide his embarrassment. 

“They weren’t supposed to be! Nothing this evening was what it was supposed to be! I messed up everything,” he cried, tears filling his eyes. 

There was a gentle hand on his back, then Yuuri was being rolled toward Victor. Victor wiped the stray tears away with his thumb, smiling gently. “Yout didn’t ruin anything,” he insisted softly but firmly. “I had a wonderful evening.”

“But,” Yuuri sniffled, “I kept messing up. I forgot the pork, and I spilled sauce on you and I bought those stupid things.” He gestured to the box that was now sitting abandoned between them. 

“So what? I still had a great time. Did you?” 

“Yeah, but, I wanted everything to be perfect,” Yuuri replied sadly.

Victor placed a hand on his cheek. “Yuuri. It doesn’t matter to me what we do, I’m happy as long as I get to spend time with you.”

Victor was looking at him with so much warmth and fondness that Yuuri couldn’t help the words that spilled out. “I love you.” 

“I love you too,” Victor replied immediately, a blush dusting the bridge of his nose and cheeks. He smiled at Yuuri, then pulled him in to pepper his face with kisses. 

Yuuri laughed, then held Victor’s face still between his hands so he could reach his lips. They reconnected, laying on their sides for a few minutes, enjoying the sweet push and pull of their lips. Eventually, Yuuri started to feel a little impatient, and broke the kiss. Victor pouted, and started to complain, but Yuuri held a finger to his lips.

“I meant it when I said I didn’t want to wait anymore.” He wanted to sound confident, but his voice came out small. “If...if you still want to.” 

Victor kissed the pad of Yuuri’s finger. “I definitely still do.” Yuuri barely had time to breathe before Victor rolled on top of him, kissing him breathless. 

Victor’s tongue slid alongside his, deepening the kiss, and Yuuri found himself moaning into his boyfriend’s mouth. The feel of Victor’s tongue inside him combined with the stirring arousal he could feel pressed against the inside of his thigh had him wondering about what else might soon be pressed inside of him. Yuuri had never thought much about anal sex before he had met Victor, as Anna wasn’t interested in anything outside of missionary (at least with Yuuri, and he quickly shied away from the rest of that thought.) The thought of doing that with Victor had him both nervous and impossibly aroused.

Victor’s hand slid under his shirt, caressing the skin of his waist, and tucking his thumb into the waistband of Yuuri’s pants tantalizingly close to Yuuri’s dick and yet still too far away. Yuuri dug both hands into Victor’s soft silver hair and ground his hips up against the other man’s. Victor’s head fell to the side, breaking the kiss and leaving them both panting. 

“God, Yuuri,” Victor gasped, already sounding halfway to wrecked. Yuuri had a little surge of pride, realizing he had done that. “What, exactly, do you want?”

“I-I don’t really know how it works, w-with another man,” Yuuri mumbled, blushing.

Victor nuzzled the soft skin under Yuuri’s ear and purred. “Well, there’s a lot of ways it can work. There’s hands, and mouths, and asses and thighs, even sometimes uh..feet.”

Images flitted through Yuuri’s brain as Victor spoke, sending a surge of arousal and embarrassment through him. Yuuri wanted to do all of it. He wanted to have Victor in every possible way, to lay claim to him and prove he was worthy of Victor’s love. But he was nervous too, and that must have showed on his face. 

“We’ll take it slow,” Victor murmured gently, and Yuuri squeezed his eyes shut and nodded. 

Somehow, getting each other out of their clothes was a lot more awkward than it had been in his dream, when said clothes simply disappeared. Now there were elbows and knees and feet to get caught in pants legs, none of which was helped by their inability to stop kissing each other for very long. Yuuri’s stomach twisted with the awkwardness, and he had to take a moment to hide his face in Victor’s neck after he accidentally elbowed Victor’s forehead getting his shirt off. He had forgotten how awkward sex could be with someone new. He and Anna had been together so long that sex was a routine. And now he had to learn someone else’s body and movements, find a rhythm with a new person.

But then Victor was touching him and all his doubts went out the window. Victor’s hands skimmed over his bare stomach and traced delicately along the hard line of his cock.

“Oh god,” Yuuri moaned into the skin beneath Victor’s ear, which was his new home.

“You like that?” Victor skated his fingers up Yuuri’s length again with gentle pressure, a tease.

“Don’t torture me, please!”

“Mmm.” Victor kissed his neck, collar bone, shoulder, a shimmering trail that had Yuuri relaxing and leaving himself wide open for Victor’s mouth and hands to explore.

And explore they did. Victor’s mouth was hot and insistent as it trailed along his skin, and his hands mapped all the contours of Yuuri’s body until he was writhing and moaning. It had been so long since Yuuri had been touched like this. As if he was desirable, wanted. Yuuri could do little but clutch at Victor’s shoulders for long moments, overwhelmed by sensations. 

Finally, with an effort, Yuuri pushed Victor back a little, and slid his hand down to where Victor’s dick had been pressed against his hip. “Wanna touch you too, please.”

Victor let out a little moan as Yuuri clasped Victor’s cock in his hand. It was hot and hard, throbbing in his hold. It was both like holding his own and yet totally different. The size and shape were different, and the sensations were muted until Victor’s hand went around him and then! Oh then it was something else entirely, the feel of someone else’s hand on him while he held a cock in his hand was indescribable, unlike anything Yuuri had ever experienced. Victor’s head was wet with precome and Yuuri swiped his thumb through it, marveling at the texture of foreskin and slick skin. He mapped the veins and bumps with his fingers, letting his hand drift down to fondle Victor’s balls, which had Victor panting into his shoulder.

“Yuuri, please,” he mumbled, and Yuuri reveled in that too. 

“Please what? Tell me what to do?” 

Victor’s response was to shift so their shafts were aligned, sliding along each other and grab the bottle of lube from beside them. He doused their cocks with the slippery liquid and Yuuri shivered at the chill sensation before it was chased away by the heat of Victor’s hand wrapping around them both. 

“This,” Victor gasped into his mouth. “You feel so good like this, under me, my sweet, use your hand too.”

Yuuri whined and brought his hand up to grip from the other side, lacing their fingers together so that their cocks slid together in the tight grasp of their joined hands and it felt amazing. The grip and slide was nothing like having sex with Anna, and being pressed into the bed with Victor’s greater bulk had Yuuri lightheaded with desire. They found a rhythm that suited them both and began fucking their hands in earnest, mouths finding each other in a hot messy kiss. 

This was new and different and sublime, and yet Yuuri also felt so comfortable. He was laid bare under Victor, nothing between them except love. Yuuri was drowning in Victor’s care and gentle desire, in his sweet kisses and burning touches. Their pace picked up a bit and Yuuri whined in his throat, shameless as he neared his peak. Victor broke their kiss, throwing his head back to expose the long perfect line of his throat and Yuuri was off, babbling.

“Oh god, you’re so beautiful, I love you so much, please, I’m so close, Victooor,” spilling from Yuuri’s mouth like precious jewels and making Victor gasp and fuck harder into their hands. 

The extra pressure, or spasming of Victor’s hand, or perhaps just the look of adoration in Victor’s eyes tipped Yuuri over and he was coming over their fists and chests, thick streaks of white. His eyes slammed shut and his whole body seized with the force of his orgasm, and he came with a loud cry. Above him he vaguely heard the sound of Victor’s answering cry and registered the splash of more come across his abs. 

Yuuri felt sort of floaty and hollowed out, like a vessel washed clean. Slowly, he slid back into his own skin and head, listening to Victor breathe reverent curses into the skin beneath his ear.

“Fuck, I love you so much baby, that was...fuck.”

Yuuri heaved in a big breath. “Yea. Yea that was. Wow.”

They lay there, settling into each other and just breathing together. Slowly, Yuuri became aware of another key difference between sex with Anna and sex with Victor. It turned out, sex with Victor was at least twice as sticky. Yuuri realized they were both absolutely covered in come and lube, and wrinkled his nose.

“We’re a mess.”

Victor chuckled. “Yes. Shall we hop in the shower perhaps?”

“Yea, that would be...yea.”

Slowly, Victor peeled himself off of Yuuri and held out a hand to help him up. Yuuri laced their dirty fingers together and followed him shyly into the bathroom. And if halfway through he found himself ready for round two, well, Victor didn’t seem to mind. They had a lot of ground still to cover after all.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next time: So many dates!


	9. Love On Top

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> So. Many. Dates.
> 
> (and a bit of spiciness)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We're getting close to the end! Only two more chapters! I hope you've all been enjoying where this fic went, I know a lot of you had concerns about Anna ruining things. I did promise this was ultimately a happy, fluffy story, right? Another huge shout-out to BookewyrmeWritesFic for the 2k of smut in this chapter. You're all gonna love it ;) 
> 
> If you like my writing, I have a few more things planned! I'm participating in the Victuuri Summer Loving gift exchange and I have my piece all done! I've never done a gift exchange before so I'm super pumped. I think that will be posted sometime around mid-September. I had a ton of fun writing that piece and I'm super excited to share it. I'm also partway through the last chapter of my other long-ish fic, Discourse. So that'll be finishing up soon! Once that's done, I've already started on my next long fic. I don't know exactly how long it will be but I currently have 10 or 11 chapters planned out, so probably similar to this one. It's a kidnapping AU where Victor gets abducted in Sochi, so if you like mystery/suspense, keep an eye out for that!

Yuuri had known Victor long enough to not be even remotely caught off guard by Victor’s impromptu dates anymore. He also knew that no manner of questioning or begging would convince Victor to give up the details of what they were doing or where they were going. It was only after seeing Yuuri’s anxiety over being accidentally underdressed for a fancy dinner that Victor started at least giving Yuuri guidance on what the dress code was. 

So, when Victor announced one evening that they were going out on a date, Yuuri just laughed fondly and asked how he needed to dress.

“Casual is fine,” Victor said, sliding up next to Yuuri on the couch. “And then when we get home we could get extra casual.” He whispered in Yuuri’s ear, and Yuuri snorted in response. 

“Are you trying to flirt with me? Because that was really bad.” He paused the game he was playing so he could look at Victor and shake his head. 

Pouting dramatically, Victor flopped onto Yuuri’s lap. Yuuri barely moved his hands out of the way in time, just avoiding Victor knocking the controller he was holding. “So cruel!” Victor lamented, very dramatically. 

Yuuri rolled his eyes, unpausing his game. “Uh huh,” he said unsympathetically. “And when do we need to leave?”

Victor was still pouting up at Yuuri, but seemed to be enjoying using Yuuri’s lap as a pillow. “In a couple hours. I need time to get ready.” 

“So I can keep playing for a while?” 

Victor hummed. “I thought you might want to shower with me.” 

Yuuri stilled, and paused the game again, immediately saving and shutting down the PS4. “I could be convinced,” he said as casually as he could manage, but he knew his voice betrayed his eagerness because Victor rolled off of him and chuckled. 

Victor winked at him, making a “come hither” motion with his finger as he walked backwards down the hall. “Better hurry, we wouldn’t want to be late,” Victor called in a low voice. Yuuri scrambled off the couch to follow, rushing after Victor toward their bedroom. 

Miraculously, they were ready in time for Victor’s mystery date, despite both of their reluctance to actually take their hands off of each other and get dressed. It wasn’t Yuuri’s fault that Victor was so irresistible! Even if they hadn’t actually gone all the way together, Yuuri was still thoroughly enjoying sex with Victor. Victor was attentive, and enthusiastic, and Yuuri really couldn't get enough of him. He found himself wondering about his previous confession that he just thought sex was “fine”. Granted, there was still more he wanted to do with Victor, but he was definitely enjoying himself now.

Yuuri threw on some clothes that Phichit had previously listed as “acceptable date attire”. Victor was digging through the closet, looking for a shirt. Yuuri hummed appreciatively at his boyfriend’s bare upper body, feeling a little smug when his eyes landed on a freshly blossoming hickey on Victor’s collarbone. Eventually, Victor found whatever shirt he was looking for and pulled it over his head. 

He turned back to Yuuri, smiling. “Ready to go?” 

With a nod, Yuuri confirmed that he was ready. After a few pats on Makka’s head, the pair made their way down to Victor’s car. Victor drove them to a community center, and Yuuri raised his eyebrows in a silent question. Victor just grinned at him. Yuuri couldn’t figure out what kind of date Victor had planned at a community center. Bingo? 

Victor held the door for him, then took a few long strides to walk ahead of Yuuri. He guided Yuuri through the hallways, and up a set of stairs, stopping occasionally to check directions on his phone. Eventually, when Yuuri was starting to think Victor might have gotten them lost, Victor made a triumphant noise, and gestured to a plain looking door on their right. This time, Yuuri held the door for Victor, then stepped in behind him.

The room was lined with ranges, a large commercial fridge, and a walk-in pantry. There was a winding countertop set up with cutting boards and cooking utensils, and a set of pots and pans on each range. A handful of people were milling around, including a woman wearing a bright orange apron. She greeted Yuuri and Victor with a smile.

“Welcome!” She held up a clipboard. “Your names?” 

“Victor Nikiforov and Yuuri Katsuki,” Victor answered. 

The woman nodded, and made a few marks on her paper. “You will be at station 4. You can head over there and make yourselves comfortable, and we’ll begin in a few minutes.” She flashed them a smile, then moved onto the next couple that had entered shortly after them. 

Yuuri followed Victor toward the range that had a bolded sign with a 4 hanging over it, then glanced at the sheet of paper on the counter in front of their station. The recipe was for butternut squash ravioli with a brown butter sage sauce, a vegetable side, a simple Italian salad, and a blueberry crumble for dessert. 

“You signed us up for a cooking class?” Yuuri asked.

Victor grinned. “Yup! I remembered you mentioning that you had always wanted to go with Anna, but she never wanted to.” 

Yuuri teared up a bit, and Victor looked nervous for a moment, until Yuuri threw himself into Victor’s arms. “Thank you. Thank you for listening. I love you.” 

Victor returned the hug. “Of course, Yuuri. I love you too.” They must have said those words dozens of times by now, but they still made Yuuri’s pulse race. 

As Yuuri managed to pull himself together and not kiss Victor senseless in the middle of a crowded kitchen, the instructor called for their attention. She introduced herself, and explained a little about the recipes, telling them a brief story of cooking with her grandmother. Victor was clearly touched by the story, especially when she mentioned feeding her rejected meals to the family dog. 

Once the instructor had gone over basic introductions, she started them on the ravioli. Yuuri had never made pasta from scratch before, so it was a fun experience. While the dough was sitting, the instructor started having them gather the ingredients for the rest of the dinner. By the time they were ready to boil the pasta, the veggies were sauteing on the stove, and the dressing for the salad was ready to go. The ravioli he and Victor made didn’t look as neat as the instructors, but they were both still proud of the final product. 

The timing of the meal was perfectly planned, the vegetables finishing their cooking just as the sauce was added to the ravioli. Yuuri tossed the dressing on the salad, while Victor grabbed serving bowls. The last step before they got to eat was to put the dessert in the oven, so it would be ready by the time they were done with their meals. 

All of the couples grabbed their food, setting up at a large, dining style table on the other side of the room. Wine was served, and Victor made pleasant conversation with the couple next to them, Yuuri shyly chiming in every now and then. The food ended up being delicious, and Victor grinned at him proudly as he speared a particularly well-shaped piece of ravioli on his fork. Yuuri just laughed fondly.

After dinner, and more conversation, timers started going off on all the ovens. The blueberry crumble was ready, so they pulled it out to cool. They drank more wine while they waited, the slight buzz helping Yuuri relax enough to include himself more in the conversations. 

Once the crumble was cool enough to eat, the instructor surprised them by pulling out a tub of ice cream. All of the couples murmured in delight, and happily accepted a scoop of creamy vanilla on top of the warm crumble. They sat down at the table again, Yuuri groaning appreciatively as the sweet flavors hit his tongue. He wanted to savor the meal, but it was too good, and he was starting to feel too full. 

The best part of the class was the lack of clean up required. Once their meals were done and they said their goodbyes to the couples they had been chatting with, they were free to leave. They left the class with their arms linked, Yuuri still feeling pleasantly tipsy from the wine. Once they stepped outside, Victor steered him away from the car. 

“Too tipsy to drive?” Yuuri questioned, as he knew he would be if he was the one driving.

Victor chuckled and shook his head. “Not quite. Fortunately, I don’t get drunk as quickly as you,” he teased. “I just thought it would be nice to walk around a bit. We’re going to start getting cool fall weather soon, and that means winter will be here before we know it. We need to enjoy this weather while we can!” 

“Fair enough. Where do you want to go?”

Victor shrugged. “Wherever.” He scanned the street, then gasped in delight. “There’s a pet boutique!” He took off, dragging Yuuri behind him since they were still linked by their arms. Yuuri yelped in surprise. Victor stopped briefly to admire the display in the window, which featured a canine mannequin wearing a stylish doggy hoodie, then continued through the front door.

The door jingled, and a brindle French bulldog trotted over to them, wiggling the nub of his tail. Victor let go of Yuuri to greet the dog, who was snorting and leaning into Victor happily. “Hello puppy!” he cooed. “You’re very sweet, and a very good boy, even though you have a sad little squish-face.” 

Yuuri chuckled, then took his time to greet the dog, whose tag said his name was “Tyrion.” Yuuri took a picture to send to Phichit. Meanwhile, Victor was gliding from aisle to aisle, accumulating an arm full of items that were no doubt presents for Makkachin. Yuuri smiled fondly, then grabbed a shopping bag so Victor could carry everything. 

Victor gave him a grateful smile. “What do you think of these?” He held up two collars, now that his hands were empty. Both collars were gorgeous, hand-made leather, and the sign indicated that they were made by a local artist. 

“That one.” Yuuri pointed to the darker collar. “The other one is almost the same color as her fur. It will just blend right in.”

Victor grinned, then added the collar to the bag. They made almost 3 laps around the store before Victor was satisfied, then checked out. Victor ended up buying the collar, new toys, and treats from the bakery for Makka. Yuuri muttered under his breath about how spoiled Makka was, but he really couldn’t blame Victor for wanting to spoil the best girl.

After Victor was done in the pet store, the turned back out onto the street. They stopped at a knick knack store and Yuuri bought a goofy looking hamster pin for Phichit, but they otherwise didn’t find any stores that captured their attention like the pet boutique. At least, not until they decided to turn the corner a few blocks down. 

Victor gasped in delight, again, and Yuuri followed his gaze, expecting another pet store. Instead, he saw his boyfriend eyeing the entrance to a sex shop. Yuuri was about to protest, but Victor had already grabbed his hand and started dragging him over to the store. Yuuri pulled back just before they reached the door, and Victor turned to face him with a quizzical look.

“Victor!” Yuuri hissed. “That’s a sex store!” 

“It is.” Victor didn’t seem to see the problem. 

“I can’t go in there!” Yuuri insisted. 

“Why not?” Victor asked. 

“Because...because...I just can’t! It’s embarrassing!” 

Victor cocked his head. “You’ve never been in a sex store?”

“I’ve been once,” Yuuri admitted. “It was a horrible experience.” 

“What happened?” 

“I bought...something...for Anna. And she hated it. And I tried to return it but all sales are final so even though we never used it, they wouldn’t take it back, and the cashier laughed at me when I explained that Anna didn’t like it.” Yuuri frowned. “She made a weird comment about not being able to please my wife.” He sighed. “Apparently that part was true,” he muttered. 

Victor squeezed his hand. “You know, I’m really starting to get the opposite impression.” 

“What do you mean?” 

“You told me that you’ve never been satisfied with your sex life, and now you’re telling me that you tried to buy something to spice it up, but Anna said that you were the boring one?” 

“I guess?” 

Victor shrugged. “I’m just having a hard time believing that.” He grinned mischievously. “I certainly didn’t feel bored this morning.”

Yuuri blushed, his only reply an awkward squeaking noise. 

Victor laughed. “I just love making you blush like that. Seriously though,” Victor continued, “I think you should come in. If you once bought something at a store like this, I’m guessing that means you wanted to try something new?” 

It seemed impossible, but Yuuri blushed harder. “I mean...I wouldn’t be opposed to trying things...with you,” Yuuri admitted. “But we haven’t even...done everything yet.” 

“We don’t have to buy things to use right now,” Victor explained. “Although, I do have something in mind that will make everything,” he purposefully repeated Yuuri’s words in a seductive tone, “a little easier.” 

Yuuri gulped, trying not to think too hard about what Victor had in mind. It wasn’t that he didn’t want to try something new with Victor, and in fact, the thought made him shudder with anticipation. Victor must have noticed, because he chuckled quietly. Yuuri bit his lip, contemplating what he should do. 

Finally, he said, “Ok.” Maybe it was the lasting effects of the wine, but he decided he wanted to go in. 

“Ok?”

“Yeah, ok. Let’s go in.” Yuuri said with more confidence than he felt. 

Victor grinned, pulling Yuuri through the door. The cashier greeted them chipperly, asking if they wanted any help. Yuuri shook his head very quickly, and Victor took the hint, politely declining the employee’s help. Then, Victor started perusing the store, looking just as comfortable as he had in the pet store. Yuuri just stuck close to Victor, not feeling ready to start looking at anything on his own yet. 

Victor was clearly not feeling the same awkwardness as Yuuri. He picked up a large pink dildo, wiggling it at Yuuri. Yuuri wasn’t sure whether he should feel turned on, or embarrassed. He settled for embarrassed when Victor accidentally turned the dildo onto the highest vibration setting and couldn’t turn it off. The lone employee in the store rushed over to turn it off, giving Victor a harsh look.

Yuuri took that moment to scurry away from Victor to avoid the employee’s lecture. He passed a shelf of erotic DVDs and books, a “Pin the Junk on the Hunk” bachelorette party game, and a display of flavored lubes. He was almost ready to tell Victor he wanted to wait outside, when he spotted the clothing displays. There were definitely outfits that were over the top, like a pair of neon pink panties with the word “Fuckable” over the butt, or a joke gift that was just a set of plastic censor bars. However, there were a couple of outfits that were exactly the kind of thing Yuuri would wear for pole dancing, and one display in particular caught his attention. He was pleasantly surprised to find pole shorts for men, as women’s shorts were incredibly uncomfortable, and most places only stocked the latter. The shorts were black, with a deep crimson fabric underneath a set of purposeful tears. The top was a mesh crop-top, with sleeves that ended in a pair of fingerless gloves. It was just Yuuri’s style: not too revealing, but still sexy. The outfit was missing shoes, but the display adjacent to the clothing had plenty of options. It didn’t take Yuuri long to find a pair that he thought would complement the display outfit well. They were a pair of black, closed toed 8 inch platform boots with laces that were the same shade of red as the material under the shorts. The boots would probably sit just up to his lower calf and pair well with the fishnet stockings he had at home.

Looking over at Victor, who had moved far away from the dildos, Yuuri thought about buying the outfit. He thought about buying it, and putting on a show for Victor. The man had seemed quite interested in his pole dancing when Phichit brought it up. He hadn’t worked at the studio since he started his full time job after college, but the owner still let him come in and practice whenever he wanted. 

Yuuri sighed. Maybe next time. He stepped away from the clothing display, trying not to look glum as he approached Victor. There was a part of his brain that was anxious about sharing that part of himself with Victor. It wasn’t the revealing outfit, he had worn nothing but his pole shorts in front of pole classes on many occasions, that aspect didn’t really bother him. Plus, it wasn’t like Victor hadn’t seen everything already. Rather, it was letting someone else see his routines. That was the reason Yuuri had decided not to pursue dance as a profession, because he just had such a hard time letting strangers see such a personal part of him. It didn’t matter what kind of dance it was, a routine was always a part of his soul on display. Plus, even for as long as he had been pole dancing, there was always a part of him that felt incredibly awkward with the suggestive poses and sexual moves, like he really couldn’t pull them off. The owner of the studio had never been able to convince him to compete because of this fear, but he still loved working on his own routines. 

If Victor noticed Yuuri’s shift in mood, he didn’t acknowledge it. Instead, he held up a pair of fuzzy, pink, leopard print handcuffs as Yuuri approached. “How about these?” 

Yuuri laughed. “For you, or for me?” 

Victor shrugged, putting the handcuffs back. “Yuri loves everything tiger striped or leopard print, I should buy these for him and watch him lose his mind,” Victor joked. 

“I think he might bludgeon you with them,” Yuuri chuckled. 

“Probably,” Victor agreed, moving on to the next display. He smiled slyly, gesturing for Yuuri to come closer. “You should pick out one of these.”

Yuuri turned his head to see what Victor was looking at, blushing immediately when his eyes fell on the display of plugs of varying shapes, sizes, and colors. “What? Why?” he squeaked. 

“Because,” Victor explained, “it will help you get used to having something inside you.” He leaned into Yuuri, whispering in his ear, “I want you to feel nothing but pleasure when I fuck you.” 

Swallowing hard, Yuuri failed to suppress a quiet moan. He was pretty sure he was going to spontaneously combust. 

Victor grinned. “Oh, you like the sound of that, do you?” 

Yuuri nodded, unable to form words. He couldn’t bring himself to tell Victor exactly how much he liked the sound of that. As much as he had been enjoying their bodies sliding against each other and roaming hands, he had definitely started fantasizing about what it would be like for Victor to take him. Still, picking out a plug seemed weirdly daunting.

“Surprise me,” Yuuri said nervously. 

Victor raised an eyebrow, but looked delighted. “Hmm you know how I love surprising you. Why don’t you look around for a bit longer and I’ll pick out something for you.” 

With a nod and a deep breath to try and calm his wildly beating heart, Yuuri turned away from Victor, wandering farther into the store. It was probably for the best that he put a little distance between himself and Victor, because he was pretty sure getting turned on in a sex store was probably taboo. 

Yuuri heard Victor at the check-out counter, conversing with the cashier. He kept wandering around, not wanting to ruin the surprise. He had partly asked Victor to surprise him because he had absolutely no idea what to pick, but also because he knew Victor would pick something good. 

There were a lot of displays with items that Yuuri couldn’t identify, but there was one shelf with items that caught his eye. Yuuri glanced at Victor out of the corner of his eye, noting that his boyfriend was still purchasing his item. Pushing down the awkwardness, Yuuri approached the display of cock rings. Like the plugs, they were offered in a variety of colors, some with vibrating functions, and some without. Yuuri picked up a simple looking purple ring, reading the label. 

“Are you thinking you might need that?” Victor whispered over his shoulder. 

Yuuri startled at Victor’s voice, but forced himself to look calm and confident as he turned around. He even managed a smirk. “No, but you might.” 

Victor’s eyes widened, and he grabbed the packaged cock ring out of his hand, walking immediately toward the check-out counter with his new purchase. Yuuri laughed a Victor’s eagerness, but inwardly preened at his brief show of confidence. 

After the purchase was made, Victor dragged Yuuri back out of the store, immediately heading back toward their car. “Victor! What are you doing?”

Victor glanced over his shoulder, but did not stop moving. “Trying to get you home before I do something indecent to you in a public space.” 

Yuuri blushed, and sped up to keep up with Victor. They threw their bags into Victor’s car as soon as they reached it, and Victor definitely drove faster that he should have to get them home quickly. 

\------------------------

The next surprise date came the following Friday night. Victor grabbed a couple of water bottles and some snacks, and ushered Yuuri out to the car. They said their goodbyes to Makka, who was making sad puppy-dog eyes at them for leaving her again. Victor pulled out one of the toys from their trip to the pet boutique, and all seemed forgiven as the poodle trotted away with the new chew toy in her mouth. 

They got into Victor’s car, and Victor drove them out to the freeway, heading toward the suburbs. Yuuri gave him a curious look, but didn’t ask where they were going. Wherever they were going was farther than Yuuri expected but eventually, Victor pulled off onto an exit. They only went a few blocks, before the car turned into a sports arena. Yuuri was about to ask what exactly Victor was planning, because he definitely wasn’t dressed for any kind of athletic activity, when Victor turned again and a large movie screen came into view. 

Victor had driven them to a drive-in movie theater, just like Yuuri had mentioned after he and Anna broke up. Apparently, Victor was trying to give Yuuri a chance to experience the dates he never got to do with Anna. Yuuri smiled at the realization as Victor found a parking spot. 

The movie wouldn’t start until the sunset, so they had time to dig into the snacks Victor brought and chat beforehand. They set the radio station to the proper channel to hear the movie, then Victor gestured for them to shift to the backseats, so they could sit next to each other. Once they were settled in and had the snacks between them, Yuuri leaned over and kissed Victor on the cheek. 

“I know what you’re doing,” Yuuri said cheerfully.

“What am I doing?” Victor questioned playfully. 

“Spoiling me.” 

“Well, you deserve it,” Victor insisted. 

“You don’t have to, you know. Not that I don’t appreciate it!” Yuuri clarified. “I love that you remembered that I said I wanted to do this, and the cooking class, but I’d be happy doing anything with you. You don’t have to do anything special.”

Victor smiled. “I know, but I wanted to do this for you. Plus, it’s been fun!” 

Yuuri chuckled. “I’m glad you’re having a good time.” He kissed Victor’s cheek again. “Thank you. I love you.” 

“I love you too,” Victor replied fondly. “But I’m not done.” 

Yuuri raised a questioning eyebrow. “What do you mean?” 

“I have one more big surprise planned. Can you take off the last weekend in September?” 

“Yeah, I should be able to. Why?”

With a grin, Victor asked, “How would you feel about a trip up to Sleeping Bear Dunes?”

Yuuri gasped. “Really?”

“Really,” Victor confirmed with a nod. 

“I love you,” Yuuri said tenderly, before pushing the snacks out of the way and straddling Victor’s lap. He cupped Victor’s face in his hands, then pulled him into a searing kiss. Yuuri tried to pour all of the love and affection he felt for his boyfriend into the kiss. Victor responded enthusiastically, gripping Yuuri’s hips, and Yuuri grasped at Victor’s soft hair in return. Yuuri nipped at Victor’s lip, pulling a groan from the other man. The sound was like music, and Yuuri wanted to hear more. He pulled back, his hands moving from Victor’s hair to his chest, then he immediately leaned back in to nibble and suck on Victor’s neck. 

Victor gasped underneath him as Yuuri sucked hard over his pulse point. He wasn’t really thinking about what he was doing, but his hands were wandering lower, stopping at the hem of Victor’s pants. Victor moaned his name, and feeling empowered, Yuuri started to undo the button on Victor’s jeans. Victor angled his hips up to help. Without warning, a loud sound boomed over the speakers, startling Yuuri so badly that he fell off of Victor and into the window, hitting his head with a thunk. 

“Ow,” Yuuri complained, sitting up and rubbing the spot where a bump was no doubt forming. They had lost track of time, and the first set of advertisements and previews had started. Victor leaned forward so he could turn the volume down.

“Sorry, didn’t realize it would be that loud,” Victor apologized. 

“Probably for the best,” Yuuri admitted. “It’s not like we’re alone here.” He suddenly felt self conscious, thinking of the cars parked around him. 

Victor chuckled. “Isn’t this what people do at drive-ins?”

“Only teenagers!” Yuuri argued. It was hard to see Victor in the last, dim light of the day, but he could see Victor’s chest heaving, trying to catch his breath. The screen provided enough illumination that Yuuri could see the red marks on Victor’s neck that would no doubt blossom into a set of impressive hickeys. Yuuri just hoped that the light wasn’t enough for Victor to see the deep flush on his face. 

“Sorry, I got a bit carried away,” Yuuri said sheepishly. 

“You definitely don’t need to apologize for that. I enjoyed myself very much.” The screen went white, and Yuuri was able to make out the smirk on Victor’s face. “I like it when you take charge. I wouldn’t mind seeing more of that side of you.” 

Although he felt slightly embarrassed, it didn’t erase the pride he felt over leaving Victor feeling so breathless. Yuuri thought about replying with something seductive, but his courage seemed to have left him. Instead, he slid up next to Victor, and leaned his head on his boyfriend’s shoulder. Victor responded by laying his head on top of Yuuri’s, sitting in silence until the movie started. 

It was a double feature, and Yuuri fell asleep on Victor’s shoulder after the first movie. He didn’t rouse until Victor was gently shaking him awake back at their apartment. Yuuri yawned, then looked at Victor apologetically. He had been completely asleep, leaning against the window in the backseat. 

“I’m so sorry, I didn’t mean to fall asleep. You could have woken me up.”

Victor shrugged. “I didn’t mind, you’re very cute when you sleep. Even though you drooled on my shoulder.” 

“I did not!” Yuuri denied. 

“You were just like Makkachin!” Victor teased, and Yuuri swatted at him playfully. 

Victor just barely dodged Yuuri’s hand, then burst into laughter and turned toward their apartment, making a beeline for the building’s door. “I’ll race you there!” 

Yuuri didn’t know what the stakes of the challenge were, but regardless, he wanted to win. Unfortunately, Victor had a head start, because Yuuri had to unbuckle himself and throw the car door closed behind him. Victor was already running up the stairs by the time Yuuri made it into the building. Luckily for Yuuri, Victor got held up trying to unlock their apartment door, and Yuuri barreled into him just as the door opened. Victor tried to keep his balance, but ultimately tipped over and landed on the floor, Yuuri on top of him. Makkachin was delighted, barking and nipping her humans playfully. They laughed wildly, sprawled out on their floor with the door still wide open. 

“Do you mind? It’s nearly midnight and some of us have to work tomorrow,” an angry voice called from the doorway. 

Yuuri rolled off of Victor, both of their heads turning toward the source of the voice. Their neighbor, whose name Yuuri couldn’t remember, was scowling at them in their doorway. Yuuri had never had a conversation with the man, but he was always grumbling and frowning at all of his younger neighbors, so Yuuri wasn’t too keen on introductions anyway.

“Sorry,” Victor replied, although Yuuri could tell from the expression on his face that he was not sorry at all. Makka padded over to the man, being the friendly girl she was, but he just made a face at her and tried to shoo her away with his hands. The poor poodle didn’t seem to understand meeting a human that didn’t want to be her friend. 

“Then keep it down,” he huffed, muttering about them being “riff raff” under his breath, before stomping back to his apartment across the hall and slamming the door. 

Victor stood up to close their door, then turned back to Yuuri with a huge grin on his face. Yuuri didn’t have time to react, before Victor leapt on him, pinning him to the floor with kisses and tickling. 

\------------------------

To say he had been looking forward to this trip would be an understatement. Yuuri couldn’t remember the last time he had been so excited about a vacation, and even the long drive couldn’t dampen his spirit. The trees whipped by outside the window, stretching far beyond what his eyes could see. They were well outside any major cities, and Victor was having a great time pointing out various birds of prey they saw perched in trees by the road. 

Yuuri had driven the first leg, and now Victor was cruising along the winding road, looking for the turn into their campsite. Victor must have spotted it, because he made an excited noise, and started slowing down. They made the turn, and Yuuri felt the excitement rising again. Just him and Victor, alone together for 3 days of camping, hiking, and relaxing. Yuuri couldn’t wait.

By the time they had themselves checked in and drove up to their site, Yuuri was practically ready to jump out of the car. As soon as Victor parked and turned the car off, Yuuri was out, breathing in the fresh scent of wilderness and campfire. It was just a short walk from the parking lot to the actual area where they would set up their tent, but it was far enough that it would give them some privacy from other campers. 

Victor walked up beside him, swatting a mosquito on Yuuri’s arm. “Darling, you need to put some bug spray on. I don’t want you to spend the whole trip itchy.” 

Yuuri agreed, accepting the spray from Victor. While he doused himself in bug spray, Victor opened the trunk of the car, removing the first load. They hadn’t packed too heavily, but since they knew they wouldn’t be hiking too far, they hadn’t really bothered to pack lightly either. Apparently, Victor’s family really liked camping, so he had a bunch of camping gear that he had somehow convinced Yuri, who was home with their parents, to transport for him. They had a really nice tent, a gas camping stove, a set of hammocks, a cooler, a water filter (though Yuuri didn’t think they would need that here), and a myriad of other useful camping supplies. Yuuri had offered to contribute some items, but his own stock was fairly limited. Phichit had always provided the tent for their trips, since they always went together and Anna never wanted to go, so he only had a handful of small items like canteens and headlamps. Victor didn’t seem to mind, and his parents had seemed thrilled to see their gear getting some use, since they didn’t really camp much after both of their sons moved out.

After a few trips, all of the supplies had been dropped at the campsite. Victor carried their food and scented items to the bear boxes, while Yuuri started pulling out the tent. Victor returned quickly, and they had the tent set up after only a few minutes. They organized the rest of their items, then set up the hammocks in two adjacent trees. Yuuri claimed one as soon as it was ready.

“This is nice,” Yuuri said contentedly, closing his eyes as the hammock gently rocked in the wind. 

Victor chuckled, and Yuuri could hear him climbing into the other hammock. “It is. I can’t wait to see the stars. That’s the one thing I really hate about the city--too much light pollution.” 

Yuuri hummed in agreement, eyes still closed. He let his mind wander, focusing on the sounds of birds chirping and insects buzzing around them. It was chilly in the shade, but not so bad that he needed more than his light sweater. He must have dozed off, because the next time he opened his eyes was when Victor was gently shaking him awake. 

Yuuri blinked sleepily, stretching his limbs. He noticed Victor had a wildlife guide book in his free hand, and Yuuri smiled. “See anything interesting?” 

Victor grinned. “Oh, yes!” He flipped through the book, opening to a page featuring a large woodpecker with bright red feathering on its head. “There was a pileated woodpecker that hung around for a long time.” Victor flipped a few pages forward, “And a bunch of turkeys came through while you were asleep. Oh!” he exclaimed, “and when I went for a walk I saw a bald eagle! I also ran into the ranger and he told me about an app you can download that plays bird calls and has photo IDs. Isn’t that amazing? I don’t have service here but I want to try and download it while we’re in town. He also said that a mother bear with two cubs has been spotted in the area. Wouldn’t that be cool to see?” 

Yuuri chuckled at Victor’s enthusiasm. “Glad you’re enjoying yourself. Sorry for falling asleep, it’s just so peaceful here.” 

“Don’t worry about it, we have plenty of time. Relaxation is part of the trip!” 

“Did you wake me up for dinner?” Yuuri asked. 

“Yes, I’m getting hungry,” Victor confirmed, and Yuuri’s stomach growled in agreement.

Laughing, Yuuri rose from the hammock. “I guess you had good timing.” He stretched his arms above his head and yawned. “How long was I out?”

“Just an hour and a half.” 

Hopefully that meant he would still be able to fall asleep at a normal time that night. Yuuri hummed contentedly, leaning over to peck Victor on the cheek. Victor smiled in response, then took Yuuri’s hand. They walked together back to Victor’s car, and Victor drove them into town.

They enjoyed burgers for dinner, laughing as they Facetimed Chris so Victor could talk to Makkachin. Makka barked happily when she heard their voices, nosing at the screen and getting dog slobber on the camera. 

After dinner, they returned to their campsite and walked to the beach. It was getting dark, so they had to bring headlamps and thrown on an extra layer of clothing. They were too late for the sunset, but they got to see the stars rise in the sky over a secluded beach along Lake Michigan. They lay in the sand together, hand in hand, trying to point out constellations, and ultimately making up their own when they couldn’t identify what they were looking at.

“That one is Makka Major!” Victor insisted, pointing at a cluster of stars that Yuuri thought looked more like an octopus. 

“Mmm then that one is Katsudonius, the tastiest constellation in the night sky,” Yuuri countered, pointing at a different cluster. 

They both laughed, scooting closer together to share body heat. Victor turned into him, and they exchanged lazy kisses, holding each other close. Yuuri knew they would both be dragging sand into their tent, but it was hard to care when Victor’s mouth was soft and pliant against his own. 

As much as Yuuri didn’t want to stop kissing Victor, laying in the cold sand eventually became too much. The mosquitos were at least kept away by the cold, so they weren’t getting eaten alive. They turned their headlamps on, then walked casually back to their campsite, enjoying the sounds of the forest. 

“We should have a fire tomorrow. I brought ingredients for s’mores,” Yuuri mentioned as they reached their tent. 

Victor hummed in approval. “That sounds like a wonderful idea.”

Shaking the sand out of their clothes as much as they could, they shed their shoes and hurried into the tent. It was too cold even for Victor to sleep naked, so they both changed into warm pajamas in the soft glow of Victor’s camping lantern. They kissed goodnight, then pushed their sleeping pads and sleeping bags as close together as possible, before nestling in. It was hard to cuddle with both of them in separate sleeping bags, but Victor managed to get an arm around Yuuri, and they fell into an easy sleep. 

When Yuuri woke the next morning, Victor was still sleeping beside him. Yuuri was a little surprised that he was the first awake, but it was pretty normal for him to wake with the sun when he was camping. Yuuri’s nose was a little cold from the early fall night temperatures, so naturally he had to use Victor to warm himself up. Yuuri nuzzled into Victor’s neck, his boyfriend whining as soon as Yuuri’s cold nose touched his skin.

“Noooooo,” Victor protested in a sleep heavy voice. 

“Warm,” Yuuri murmured, nuzzling even more into Victor. 

Victor half-heartedly tried to throw him off, but eventually relented with a groan. Yuuri grinned, kissing the spot on Victor’s neck where his cold nose had been. “Good morning.” 

“Mpf.” 

“You’re usually the morning person,” Yuuri remarked. 

“And you’re usually not,” Victor countered. “Why are you awake?”

“I’m excited. We’re going to the dunes today!” 

Victor chuckled, low and deep. “I’m glad you’re excited.” He rolled away from Yuuri, stretching and yawning. “I’m guessing this means you want an early start?”

Yuuri nodded, and Victor chuckled again. “Ok,” Victor relented, “we better get up and have breakfast then. I can boil some water for oatmeal.” 

“Sounds good. There should be some fruit in the cooler too.” 

Victor sat up, and Yuuri followed him. They changed into their hiking clothes, and although Yuuri had initially protested when Victor threw on a pair of swim trunks, he ultimately convinced Yuuri to do the same, even though Yuuri insisted he would not be doing any swimming. Regardless, their clothes were not nearly warm enough for the brisk morning. They both ended up throwing sweatpants and a sweater over their trunks and athletic shirts so they wouldn’t get too cold while they got ready. After brushing their teeth with a jug of water, Victor prepared breakfast, while Yuuri packed them sandwiches and snacks for lunch. They didn’t want anything too heavy, since they would have to carry it over the dunes. 

Breakfast was nothing grand, but it filled both of them up. Yuuri made sure to grab sunscreen for Victor, who could get sunburned sitting in a hot car, then filled both of their canteens. “Ready?” Yuuri asked impatiently.

“Ready,” Victor confirmed, grabbing their lunches.

Their campsite was very close to the dune climb, so the drive was quite short. Victor made sure they had the proper permits, then they parked and head to the first dune. Yuuri craned his neck to watch a couple of kids racing up the dune, then disappearing over the top.

“I have to admit,” Victor said, “it’s steeper than I expected.” 

Yuuri hummed. “This is just the first one. I don’t think it’s the steepest.” 

“You’re probably right.” He stripped off his long pants and sweater, and Yuuri copied him. The weather had warmed nicely, and although there was still a bit of a chill in the air, Yuuri knew it wouldn’t last once they started climbing and the day went on. 

After a final supplies check, they made their way from the parking lot to the first dune. It was fairly steep, and both of them were breathing heavily once they were at the top. Yuuri was grateful they had plenty of water. 

Victor pulled out his phone. “Selfie!” he exclaimed, pulling Yuuri next to him and grinning wildly. Yuuri smiled, letting Victor take a few photos until he was satisfied. Neither of them had cell service at the moment, but he knew Victor would upload the picture to Instagram as soon as they went into town. Yuuri still didn’t use Instagram as much as Victor or Phichit, but he had been a lot more active since he and Victor started dating. They did a lot together, and Yuuri didn’t even mind posting pictures of himself, as long as Victor was there with him.

“We’ll have to take another one once we reach the lake,” Victor insisted. “How far is it?”

“About 3.5 miles round trip,” Yuuri replied as he pulled out his map. 

“Then we better get started!” Victor said chipperly, grabbing Yuuri’s hand and dragging him toward the next dune. 

They started off holding hands, but quickly realized they needed both hands to balance on the shifting sands, or to drink from their canteens. Plus, they were both getting sweaty quite fast. It was a cloudless day, and Yuuri made Victor stop more than once to reapply sunscreen when it looked like he was getting too red. They both found the hike enjoyable, even though a few of the steeper dunes left them totally winded. Yuuri was glad they decided to come in the fall and not the heat of the summer.

Eventually, they reached the peak of a particularly tall dune, and Victor gasped in delight. “Yuuri, look! There’s the lake!” It was still a ways ahead of them, but Lake Michigan had finally come into view.

With renewed vigor, they continued the pattern of descent and climbing, until the were barrelling down the last dune, laughing wildly. They almost lost their balance, just barely avoiding tripping over a woman sunning herself when their momentum made them lose control. There wasn’t any shade, so Yuuri opted for a spot away from the other climbers. Since it wasn’t tourist season, the beach wasn’t totally crowded, but it was still busy. Victor set out their towels, and Yuuri retrieved their lunch. They sat side by side, guzzling water and enjoying their sandwiches. 

Once they were done with lunch, Victor stripped off his shirt, and motioned for Yuuri to do the same. Yuuri just raised an eyebrow at him. “Come on, Yuuri!” Victor insisted. “Don’t you want to cool off?”

“I’m cooling off just fine, thank you. I don’t need to get into that freezing water.” 

Victor pouted. “It’s not freezing. You’re thinking of Superior!” 

Yuuri huffed. “It’s almost October in Northern Michigan, Victor, all lake water is freezing.” 

Victor shrugged. “You’re missing out!” He took off toward the water, splashing into the tide without even flinching.

Yuuri shook his head fondly. What else should he expect from someone that would swim in Lake Superior in the middle of winter? After pulling out his phone to take a few pictures and videos of Victor frolicking in the water, Yuuri just enjoyed watching his boyfriend grin and wave, occasionally gesturing for Yuuri to come join him. Yuuri just shook his head, indicating that he was quite comfortable on the warm sand. 

At least he was comfortable, until a young woman in a bikini approached Victor, her body language clearly flirty. Logically, Yuuri knew he had nothing to worry about. Not only did he trust Victor, he knew Victor was not interested in women. However, the traitorous part of his brain was making note of how pretty she was, and how they would look good together as a couple. Yuuri frowned, considering burying himself in the sand to wallow in his own self pity. Instead, he took a deep breath, removing his glasses followed by his shirt. He rolled his shirt around his glasses and tucked them into his pack for safe keeping, then sauntered over to Victor and the woman. The woman was leaning toward Victor, placing a hand on his shoulder and laughing at something he said. Even without his glasses, Yuuri could tell the smile on his face was totally fake. 

Good, the possessive part of Yuuri’s brain snarled, and he was briefly surprised at how intense the feeling was. He smirked as Victor’s smile became more genuine as he approached, and Victor completely ignored the woman in favor of beaming at Yuuri. 

“Yuuri! Are you going to come swimming with me?” Victor asked hopefully, batting his eyelashes. 

Yuuri looked at the woman, who was fairly blurry without his glasses. He could tell that she was glancing between Victor and Yuuri, trying to make the connection. The cold temperature of the water almost snapped Yuuri out of his bravado, but he managed to wade into the water without reacting, throwing an arm around Victor’s waist and placing a brief kiss on his cheek. 

“You convinced me,” Yuuri replied, not so subtly glaring at the woman.

“Ah,” she said awkwardly, “I think my friends are calling me…” She retreated, the sounds of water splashing in her wake. 

Yuuri smirked again, and Victor gave him a questioning look that Yuuri was able to read this close up. “Yuuri?” Victor asked curiously.

Yuuri didn’t respond, instead pulling Victor into a rough kiss. In the back of his mind, he was still aware that they were definitely not alone on the beach, although now that the woman had left, they were not directly near any other people. Either way, Yuuri couldn’t find it in himself to care enough to stop kissing Victor. 

He nipped at Victor’s lip, hard, running his hands all over his boyfriend’s bare chest and abdomen. Victor gasped, his hands dipping low on Yuuri’s back, to the waistband of his trunks. It was cold enough that Yuuri was fairly certain they wouldn’t be able to go further even if they wanted to, but Yuuri still kissed Victor hungrily. The water was up to Yuuri’s belly button, and a little lower on Victor due to his greater height. There was enough cover that after a brief confirmation that they were still relatively alone, Yuuri slipped a hand into Victor’s swim trunks. 

“Yuuri…” Victor moaned “What’s gotten into you?” He moaned again. “Not that I’m complaining.” 

Yuuri didn’t really know how to explain the possessiveness that had come over him, so he just gripped at Victor’s hair with his free hand, pulling him back into another kiss. Yuuri was starting to rethink his assessment of the water being too cold, when Victor gently grabbed his wrist, removing Yuuri’s hand from his trunks and pulling out of the kiss. 

“There’s that side to you, again,” Victor said breathily. “The one that likes to take charge. I didn’t expect that here, of all places.” Victor leaned into him, but moved at the last second so his lips were at Yuuri’s ear. “We should continue this when we get back to the tent. I brought something that you’ll like.” 

Yuuri shivered, and it had nothing to do with the cold. He reluctantly removed his hands from Victor, swallowing hard. “Well, you do know what I like,” Yuuri said as seductively as he could, but his voice still wavered a bit. 

Still, Victor seemed to appreciate the effort, briefly stroking Yuuri’s cheek with a thumb. Then, his mood shifted entirely. Victor grinned mischievously, splashing Yuuri. 

“Hey!” Yuuri yelped indignantly. Pressed up against Victor, he really hadn’t felt the cold. But a faceful of late September lake water? That was enough to give Yuuri goosebumps. He glared at Victor, who was already swimming away and laughing. “Oh no you don’t!” 

Yuuri chased after him, splashing Victor a few times, before Victor turned on him and grabbed him around the waist. Victor hauled him out of the water and threw him a few feet. Yuuri yelped again as his head was submerged. He broke through the surface, trying to shake the cold water off of him. Victor was laughing gleefully, swimming out of Yuuri’s range. Yuuri went after him, eventually catching up and splashing Victor with a particularly impressive wave. After that, they left the water, teeth chattering. 

After shaking the sand out of their towels, they dried themselves off. Yuuri insisted on more sunscreen for both of them, then they put their shirts and shoes back on and started the return trip. Victor took another selfie before they left the beach, insisting they needed one in front of the water. 

The pair had just reached the top of the first dune, when Victor asked, “Were you jealous? Of that woman?”

Yuuri winced. “Maybe a bit,” he admitted. 

Victor gently grabbed Yuuri’s arm, bringing them both to a standstill. He looked like he was thinking very hard about what to say. “I think,” he finally started, “telling you that you have nothing to worry about would be very minimizing of both of our past experiences. Sebastian said those words to me so many times, and I know Anna told you something similar.” 

Yuuri nodded in confirmation, letting Victor continue. “I don’t know if I have the right words to make you feel like you don’t have to worry. I still worry sometimes,” Victor admitted. “I trust you completely, I promise I do, but there’s just that nagging feeling in the back of my mind that the same thing is going to happen again. My two most serious relationships both ended the same way, and sometimes I get scared that I’m doomed to that cycle forever.” He took a ragged breath. “That’s why I don’t know what to say to make you feel better, because I don’t even know how to make myself feel better.”

Yuuri pulled Victor into a hug, his boyfriend’s skin still chilly from their swim. Victor wrapped his arms around Yuuri in return. “I don’t think I have the right words either. I’m sorry I got so weird, I do trust you I just…” he sighed. “I just feel the same way. Sometimes I still have a hard time believing that I deserve any better.” 

Victor squeezed him harder. “Me too,” he agreed sadly.

Stepping back so he could look Victor properly, Yuuri smiled reassuringly. Victor’s eyes were shiny with tears. “I think the only thing we can do is just be honest with each other when we feel uncomfortable. I should have said something to you instead of getting to second base on a public beach.” He winced. “Sorry.”

Victor chuckled. “You definitely don’t need to apologize about that, I thoroughly enjoyed myself.” He kissed Yuuri on the cheek. “You’re right though. We just need to be open and honest with each other.” He grinned. “You’re so smart!” 

Yuuri laughed. “I don’t know about that, I just love you a lot and want to keep you all to myself.” 

“What a coincidence, I want you to keep me all to yourself too!” Victor replied with a heart-shaped smile and a blush high on his cheeks. 

After their talk, they were in such high spirits that the hike back seemed much shorter than the hike out. However, they were both tired, sweaty, and hungry by the time they made it to the parking lot. They blasted the air conditioning in Victor’s car, all the way back into town. Even though they had just eaten their lunch a few hours ago, they had burned off the light sandwiches and were both ready for something heartier. 

Dinner was tasty, and they stopped for ice cream after. Victor kept trying to lick ice cream off of Yuuri’s cone, so Yuuri dropped a dollop of melted ice cream onto Victor’s nose in retaliation, then kissed it off. Victor smiled in delight.

Back at the campsite, Yuuri was incredibly thankful that they had chosen a campsite with indoor plumbing and showers. Scrubbing off the dirt and grime from the day was extremely satisfying. He and Victor both felt refreshed after their showers, and decided to make good on their promise to build a campfire. It had been fairly dry lately, so the wood burned easily, and it didn’t take long to get a roaring fire going.

Despite the fact that they had just eaten ice cream, Yuuri picked out sticks for roasting marshmallows, and pulled out the s’more supplies. They fed each other s’mores from their fingers, licking off the chocolate and marshmallow when it got too gooey. 

“Know any scary stories?” Victor joked as he popped an uncooked marshmallow into his mouth. 

Yuuri leaned back in the folding chair, thoughtful. “Hmmm I do, but they’re hamster themed, because that’s what scares Phichit. He hates thinking about anything bad happening to his babies.”

Victor chuckled. “Understandable. I can’t even watch movies where a dog gets hurt.” 

“I know,” Yuuri responded. “You walked out of the room when we watched ‘I Am Legend’.”

“She was such a good dog!” Victor insisted, and Yuuri rolled his eyes.

After that, they enjoyed the crackling sounds of the fire, occasionally roasting another marshmallow or just eating the ingredients plain. Yuuri looked over at Victor, who had been trying, and failing, to roast a marshmallow to golden-brown perfection. It was very dark without all the light pollution of a big city, but Victor’s face was illuminated by the glow of the campfire. Yuuri could see his tongue just peeking out of his mouth as he concentrated on not burning the marshmallow. 

Yuuri hadn’t forgotten their moment at the lake, nor Victor’s promise, but there just hadn’t been a good moment to bring it up. He was actually worried that they would fall asleep as soon as they snuggled into their sleeping bags. Yuuri didn’t want that to happen. He wanted to experience whatever Victor had planned for him. He needed something to reset the mood. 

Victor made a triumphant noise, snapping Yuuri out of his thoughts. “Aha! The perfect marshmallow!” Victor grabbed the s’more supplies, putting the marshmallow between the chocolate and graham cracker. He made short work of it, leaving only melted chocolate and marshmallow on his fingers. He went to lick it off, when Yuuri reached over and grabbed his wrist. A part of his brain started to tell him that what he was about to do was far too embarrassing, but he pushed that thought down. Yuuri brought Victor’s fingers to his own lips, his tongue darting out to taste the s’more remnants. 

Victor’s breath caught, and Yuuri felt emboldened, so he decided to take things a step further and took Victor’s fingers completely into his mouth. He sucked and licked, until there wasn’t any chocolate or marshmallow left, but he continued to work Victor’s fingers. Victor moaned, and Yuuri took that as a sign that he was doing something right. Finally, he pulled Victor’s wrist back, so his fingers slid out of Yuuri’s mouth. He licked his lips, not breaking eye contact, despite his brain yelling about how ridiculous he must look. 

“Victor,” he purred, “didn’t you say you had something I would like?” 

“Yes,” Victor replied immediately. “In the tent.” 

“Why don’t you show me?” Yuuri whispered. 

Victor stood up immediately, getting to work on putting the fire out. “Wait for me in the tent,” he demanded, and Yuuri was happy to give up control, because he felt his courage waning. 

Yuuri crawled into the tent, listening to the sounds of Victor shuffling around outside. He was alone just long enough to start panicking. What had he been thinking? That wasn’t sexy, that was gross! Yuuri groaned, laying back on his sleeping bag. Victor was probably taking his time, trying to figure out how to let Yuuri down gently. Maybe Yuuri should just save him the trouble and pretend to be asleep when Victor came in. 

He was about to do just that, when Victor unzipped the tent. Even in the lowlight of the lantern, Yuuri could tell that Victor was looking at him hungrily. Victor zipped the tent back up, then didn’t waste any time pouncing on Yuuri and kissing him just as roughly as Yuuri had earlier. Victor tasted like chocolate and marshmallow, and smelled like campfire. He was just grateful that neither of them had put on more bug spray, relying on the cold night and the campfire smoke to keep the pests away. 

Victor briefly broke the kiss, rotating himself so he could dig through his bag. He turned back to Yuuri holding the plug from the sex store, and the bottle of lube Yuuri had bought before his first botched attempt at seduction. Yuuri swallowed hard. Did Victor want to go all the way tonight? He wasn’t sure if he was ready for that. Part of him desperately wanted to, but part of him was terrified. 

Victor smiled reassuringly at him and spoke as if he had read Yuuri’s mind. “Just this tonight. We’ll put it in and then do something else. It’ll make whatever we do feel even better. But only if you want to. We don’t have to use it tonight.”

Yuuri stared at the plug. It wasn’t that big, even if it still seemed a bit intimidating. And Yuuri was curious. What did he have to lose? 

“Y-yea. Ok, let’s do that.”

Victor leaned in and kissed Yuuri sweetly. The kiss quickly turned heated as Victor’s tongue slid silkily along Yuuri’s. Their hands explored over each other’s clothes, caressing and pulling on each other. They needed to be closer, right now, only Victor was already pressed hard into Yuuri. In fact, they were both incredibly hard now. Victor’s hand slid into the back of Yuuri’s pants, pulling them tighter together, grinding their hard-ons against each other. One finger slid between Yuuri’s cheeks.

Pulling back just enough to speak against Yuuri’s lips, Victor asked “Ok?”

“Yea,” Yuuri panted. “Please?”

“Ok baby, let me just get your pants off and I’ll take care of you ok?”

Yuuri could only respond with a small moan of anticipation. Victor’s fingers began to pull his soft track-pants down over his hips, all while his lips traveled hungrily over every inch of his neck and jaw. The feeling of the smooth lips on his rapidly heating skin sent shivers through Yuuri’s body. Victor nipped at his collar bone, sucking the flesh between his teeth and Yuuri writhed beneath him. Heat shot through him as Victor’s hands finally found the hardness between his legs and began to massage it through his boxers. Yuuri moaned, yearning for the feel of Victor’s warm hand on his skin.

“Please, touch me?”

“I am touching you darling.”

“Victoorrr,” Yuuri whined, bucking into Victor’s hand. 

Victor gave a low laugh and slid Yuuri’s boxers down, baring him to the moonlight. The look on Victor’s face in the low light seemed almost reverent, and his hands were gentle as he spread Yuuri’s legs and ran his fingers over Yuuri’s cock and down to his balls, seeking behind them for his entrance. Yuuri shivered, though not from the cool night air. Anticipation and nervousness roiled in his gut as Victor’s fingers teased him. Something must have shown in his face or perhaps the stiffening of his body gave it away.

“Baby, we don’t have to do this tonight if you’re not ready. I promise I’m happy with anything we do.”

“No, I...I want it. Just, go slow?” Yuuri clutched desperately at Victor’s forearm, holding his hand between his legs. 

“As slow as you want baby.” Victor took his hand back to slick up two fingers and then trailed them back between Yuuri’s legs.

The intrusion, when it finally came, was small, just the tip of a finger, but it was electrifying. Yuuri whimpered and Victor soothed him with gentle kisses and sweet words. Victor’s finger continued to circle and tease for some time, making Yuuri gasp at each tiny progression inside him. When the first finger was fully seated inside, Victor paused to kiss Yuuri hard and deep and the feeling of Victor all around him made Yuuri’s cock pulse.

“Please,” Yuuri choked out, and Victor pulled back to gently begin pumping the finger in and out as requested. The slide was exquisite, sending shivers up Yuuri’s spine. And then Victor’s finger twisted inside him and pressed just there and Yuuri damn near levitated off the blankets.

“Fuck, was that…” Yuuri panted.

Victor grinned at him, a little feral and sharp. “Welcome to your prostate sweetheart. Man’s best friend.”

“Oh god, please, V-Victor!” 

Yuuri wanted more of that incredible feeling, and Victor obliged until he was a writhing, dripping mess, hair stuck to his forehead and precome smeared all over his belly. Victor was now two fingers deep and playing over Yuuri’s prostate like he was a finely tuned instrument, and certainly Yuuri was singing like one, his whole body a live-wire of feeling. 

And then Victor removed his fingers and Yuuri gave him a look of betrayal for taking away the glorious stimulation. Victor smirked.

“Patience love, I just wanted to get your new plug.”

With the feeling of Victor’s fingers singing in his veins, the plug looked less intimidating now as it glistened with lube and Victor slipped it down between his legs. The smooth silicone felt different from the earlier fingers, softer and more even. It spread him a bit more and then it popped in and sat pressed just up against his prostate like it was molded there. Every twitch of Yuuri’s body centered his attention on the presence of the plug and Yuuri wanted to scream with how good it felt. 

Victor finally pulled back and shucked his own pants, laying down skin to skin with Yuuri. The feeling of him pressed against Yuuri’s body was electrifying as always and Yuuri wrapped his arms tightly around Victor while he pressed kisses into Victor’s mouth. Victor’s talented tongue delving into his mouth sent shivers down his spine and the presence of the plug kept him shifting in constant awareness of his ass.

They broke away from the kiss just enough to pant into each other’s mouths. Victor murmured against Yuuri’s lips. “What do you want now, love?”

“You, anything just you!”

“I’m here, I’ll do whatever you want darling.”

Yuuri gathered his scattered wits and formulated a real answer. “Your mouth?”

Victor moaned and pressed open-mouth kisses down his jaw and neck. “I love going down on you, you fit so perfectly in my mouth.”

Yuuri shivered and Victor continued to move down his chest and abdomen, aiming for the throbbing erection between his legs. Victor’s mouth was hot and wet and drove Yuuri straight over the edge just like it did every time. Only this time, there was the added presence of the plug shifting inside him with every twitch of his hips, and Yuuri thought he would lose his mind with the intensity of the pleasure. A constant stream of moans and broken pleas fell from Yuuri’s mouth as Victor set up a steady pace, taking Yuuri in to the back of his throat and then pulling off all the way to lave at the head with his tongue. It was all Yuuri could do not to thrust erratically into Victor’s throat, chasing release as fast as possible. Victor laid one arm across Yuuri’s hips and kept up the steady pace with hand and mouth, drawing out a symphony of pleasure from Yuuri. 

After the fingering and with the plug pressed against his prostate, it didn’t take long for Yuuri to reach the edge and dangle just out of reach of orgasm.

“Please, god! Please!” Yuuri cried. And then Victor did something with his tongue, twisting it up against the sensitive head of Yuuri’s cock and Yuuri was arching against his hold with a shout. His whole body clenched up, driving the plug harder against his prostate and he saw stars as he shot come down the back of Victor’s eager throat. 

Victor popped off with a satisfied hum. “How was that, love?”

“Hfngh” Yuuri managed. It took a moment for his breathing to slow back to normal and his vision to return, and he spent the time until it did twitching with aftershocks and trying to remember how humans speak. 

Once he had his breath back, he looked over to where Victor knelt between his legs, running a lazy hand over his own painfully hard erection and smiling at Yuuri. Something came over Yuuri, perhaps the plug still seated in his ass or the feeling of being naked together or just the endorphins of one of the best orgasms of his life. He sat up and reached out to steady himself on Victor’s hips as he leaned down and cautiously tasted the tip of Victor’s cock. There was a sharp inhalation above and Victor’s hand stopped, holding steady, but Yuuri ignored it and continued to explore his head with his tongue. The taste was slightly salty, wholly different from the taste the few times Anna had let him go down on her. Yuuri took a little bit more into his mouth, exploring the feeling of fullness that accompanied having a cock in his mouth. 

“Fuck,” Victor groaned, “you’re killing me babe.”

Yuuri glanced up through his eye-lashes and grinned a little through his mouthful. In the low light Victor looked halfway to wrecked already, and Yuuri could feel the faint tremble in his hand where it still held his cock steady for Yuuri’s mouth. Yuuri popped off and licked at the head a bit like a lollipop, swiping his tongue in broad strokes over the skin. He slid a bit further down again, filling his mouth entirely with Victor, and hummed in appreciation of the feeling. 

“Oh god, I’m not gonna last.” 

That sparked a small tendril of panic. Yuuri was enjoying exploring Victor with his mouth, but he wasn’t sure if he was ready to feel come in his mouth or not. What if he choked? What if he didn’t like it? Anna had hated it, never finishing him with her mouth, on the rare occasions she deigned to go down on him. Yuuri shoved the worry away and concentrated on moving his mouth in what he hoped was a pleasing way. Judging by the noises falling from above him, little whimpers and pants of pleasure, he was doing at least a halfway decent job. 

Yuuri scooted closer, moving his hands around to clutch at the perfect globes of Victor’s ass, and grew bolder in his movements. He slid up and down Victor’s shaft, letting the head hit the back of his throat on each pass and swirling his tongue around it as he pulled back. He sucked and slurped and soon lost himself in the feeling of Victor filling him up. He wanted to be filled in every way possible. 

When Victor tugged at his hair and gasped “baby, I’m gonna-” Yuuri made a split second decision and sucked down harder, shoving Victor’s cock as far into his mouth as he could. Bitter, viscous fluid filled his mouth and he pulled back, swallowing convulsively as Victor pulsed pleasantly in his mouth. With a last hard suck that made Victor swear and jerk back, Yuuri pulled off entirely and looked up at his lover.

“H-how was that?” He asked nervously.

Victor’s answer was to flop forward, flattening Yuuri beneath his warm weight and bury himself in Yuuri’s neck. His voice was muffled as he replied, “Are you sure you never sucked a dick before?”

“No, I swear that was my first time! Oh god, was it that bad?” Yuuri flailed.

“God, Yuuri that was amazing, you’re a natural I swear!” Victor pulled back to look down into Yuuri’s eyes before leaning in to kiss him sweetly. 

Yuuri kissed back, but he couldn’t quite get the awareness of Victor’s come out of his mouth. It coated the back of his throat. It wasn’t unpleasant exactly, just odd, and he wasn’t sure quite what to do about it as he pulled away from the kiss. Victor seemed to sense his issue and reached over to where their water bottles leaned against their bags. He handed one to Yuuri with a smile.

“I didn’t expect you to swallow your first time. Was it ok?”

“Yea, just different. But I’m glad I did. I loved the feeling of you coming in me.”

Victor looked a little coy. “You did, huh? Maybe next time I’ll come in a different part of you.”

Yuuri’s cheeks heated, but he looked boldly back at Victor. “Maybe I want you to.”

The only response he got was a tight hug and Victor’s lips crushed against his again. No other response was necessary.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next time: A party. A fight. A performance. 
> 
> This chapter is basically the "places I've gone in real life" chapter. The cooking class wasn't a real place, but the drive-in and Sleeping Bear both are! There's probably a drive-in in Detroit but I absolutely took the opportunity to make Victuuri have a date at the drive-in I went to as a teen. I think my friends and I saw a double feature of Mr. Popper's Penguins and Green Lantern. I think you can guess which one was better. The campsite is also real! My dad and I went there a couple years ago and had a great time. We went in early May, which probably is fairly similar to late September weather. And I 100% went swimming in Lake Michigan. Apparently when I was a kid and we used to take trips to Sleeping Bear I would swim until my lips turned blue. One time I apparently got out and my parents were relieved, until another kid went in the water and I ran back in after them. So I have lots of fond memories of those dunes! Well worth the trip if you're ever in northern Michigan!


	10. Naughty Girl

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Yuuri and Victor show each other just how much they mean to each other.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh look, another Beyonce chapter title!
> 
> All of your comments give me life! I'm still so blown away by the response that this fic has gotten. I hope you enjoy this chapter, there's definitely some spice at the end ;)

Yuuri stumbled, the hands on his waist the only thing keeping him on his feet. That was the third time he’d almost tripped, and he would be tempted to just take the blindfold off, if Victor and Phichit wouldn’t immediately lose their minds. 

“Be careful!” Phichit yelled from somewhere in front of him. “That’s precious cargo you’re holding!” 

Yuuri heard Victor laugh behind him. “The most precious,” Victor agreed, gently guiding Yuuri up a step.

“I’m rolling my eyes,” Yuuri announced, since his eyes were currently obscured by the blindfold. 

Victor chuckled, close to his ear. “You know,” he whispered, “I could get used to this. You, blindfolded.” 

Blushing, Yuuri almost stumbled again. “Victor!” he hissed, “Not in front of Phichit!” 

“Oh, I’m sure Phichit’s heard much worse. Right, Phichit?” 

“Right!” Pichit chirped. “What could be worse than sexy katsudon?” 

Yuuri groaned, and Victor made a confused noise. “Sexy katsudon?”

“Don’t ask,” Yuuri begged. 

Suddenly, they came to a stop. He was gently guided up a few more steps and through an open door by Victor’s hands. Yuuri didn’t need his vision to recognize where they were. The distinctive squeak of the door and the smell of a home cooked meal that sent a wave of nostalgia through him: he was home. The only question was, why?

“Why did you drive me to my parents’ house?” Yuuri questioned. Phichit had arrived at their door out of the blue this morning, grinning and waving a blindfold around. Yuuri had put up a good fight with his protests, but ultimately, Victor’s pout was too much for him and he gave in. They must have either taken a different route to throw him off, or they just didn’t know where they were going because it shouldn’t have taken this long to get to his parents’ house.

Victor hummed in response. “Why, indeed? Take your shoes off,” Victor said instead of a straight answer. 

Yuuri did as he was told, toeing his shoes off and kicking them in the direction that he assumed the shoe rack was. Then, Victor was guiding him deeper into the house, Phichit’s sock clad feet shuffling a few feet in front of him. They came to a stop again, and Victor’s hands were pulling the blindfold off of his head, and placing his glasses on his face. Yuuri blinked as his vision adjusted, and he immediately noticed the large group behind Victor.

“Surprise!” The group yelled collectively, pulling a started yelp out of Yuuri. 

All of Yuuri’s close friends and family were crammed into his parents’ living room, standing under a sign that said “Happy Divorce, Yuuri!” Everyone was here: his family, the Nishigoris, Minako, Chris, Sara, Mila, Leo, Guang Hong, Yuri, Otabek, and even Makkachin, who was straining at her leash to get to Yuuri and Victor. Chris dropped the leash, letting Makka greet her people. Victor cooed over her, and Yuuri patted her absentmindedly while trying to take in the sight in front of him.

“What...what is this?” Yuuri questioned. 

“It’s a divorce party!” Phichit answered cheerfully. 

“A what?” 

Victor grabbed his hand, placing a folded paper into his grip. “This came in the mail a week ago. Sorry for keeping it from you, but I wanted to surprise you.” 

Yuuri opened up the paper, his eyes widening as he read the words. “I...I’m officially divorced.” 

The group cheered, although Yuuri was having a strange mix of emotions. Relief, sadness, shock. He wasn’t completely sure which one was predominating. On one hand, he was finally free from the one thing still legally tying him to Anna. On the other hand, it just reminded him of everything he’d gone through over the summer. 

Victor must have sensed his struggle, because he was placing a comforting hand on Yuuri’s back. “You ok?” he whispered. 

Yuuri glanced at the paper in his hands, then at his friends and family, and back at Victor. Realizing how many people were here to support him, he smiled. “Yeah,” he answered honestly. He knew they would all have his back, no matter how complicated his emotions were. 

Looking at Victor, whose eyes were shining with affection and fondness, Yuuri realized that above all, he felt happiness. Even if he had never felt the need to wait for the official papers from the state, it had always felt like a bit of a barrier for his and Victor’s relationship. But now, there was nothing holding them back. Yuuri grinned at the thought, grabbing handfuls of Victor’s sweater and pulling him into a kiss. The crowd cheered and whistled behind them, except for Yuri who made a gagging noise, and Yuuri pulled back with an embarrassed flush. 

He coughed awkwardly, but turned to his friends and family. “Um, thank you all for being here. It means a lot to have all of your support.”

Hiroko smiled, and rushed forward, hugging her son. “We are all so proud of how strong you’ve been! We all love you so much.” 

The group murmured in agreement, and Yuuri returned the hug, sniffling a little bit. “Thank you.” 

There were a few moments of silence where everyone stared at each other lovingly, until Yuri grumbled, “So are we gonna have cake or what?” 

“Yuri!” Victor chastised, but the group collectively laughed. 

Hiroko stepped out of the hug and walked over to Yuri, patting his shoulder. “Not yet, katsudon first!”

Yuuri gasped. “Mom! You can’t cook katsudon for everyone, that’s way too much!” 

Hiroko huffed. “I can, and I will! Mari and your father will help me. No one is leaving here hungry!” 

“At least let me help--” 

“No!” Hiroko said firmly. “This is a party for you, you will go and relax!”

Yuuri held his hands up in surrender. “Ok, ok.” 

With that, the group started to disperse. Yuuri’s family went to the kitchen, Mari ruffling his hair on the way. Yuuko took the triplets outside with Makka so they could play without destroying the house, and the rest of the group started chatting and snacking on appetizers. 

Yuuri turned to Victor. “I’m guessing this is your doing?” 

Victor grinned. “Not just me, Phichit too.” 

Phichit approached the pair, looking pleased. “I helped, but Victor set most of this up! He contacted everyone, I just got the cake and the sign.” 

“Thank you both,” Yuuri said genuinely. He briefly hugged Phichit, before placing a quick peck on Victor’s lips. 

“Of course, darling. You deserve to celebrate!” Victor replied. “Are you really doing ok? You looked a little overwhelmed earlier.”

Yuuri nodded. “I am, honestly. It was just a lot of emotions at once. I’m happy, I really am. It just feels like that chapter of my life is officially closed, and that hit me a little hard.” He scowled. “That sounds dumb. It’s not like I miss her or anything.” 

“It’s not dumb,” Phichit insisted. “There’s a lot of emotions associated with this whole thing.”

Victor hummed in agreement. “Phichit’s right. I think it’s totally reasonable to have a lot of conflicting emotions about this. You’ve been through a lot in a relatively short period of time.”

Yuuri offered them both a watery smile. “What would I do without you two?”

They both threw an arm around Yuuri. “Oh, you’d be lost without us,” Phichit replied teasingly. Victor just chuckled and kissed the side of Yuuri’s head. 

“Can you stop being gross for two seconds?” Yuri growled from across the room. “Some of us are trying to eat!” 

Victor grinned mischievously. “I don’t think I can stop!” he wailed dramatically, pulling Yuuri closer with the arm around his waist. “I just love Yuuri so much!” He started peppering Yuuri’s face with kisses, making Yuuri laugh, and Yuri gag. 

“Gross!” Yuri scowled, grabbing Otabek by the arm. “Come on, Beka. Let’s go find the dumb dog. I don’t want to see any more of this shit.” 

Otabek stumbled behind Yuuri, shrugging as he was dragged out the door. Victor laughed in delight. “Oh, he’s so easy to tease.”

“This is why he likes me better,” Yuuri joked. Since their initial meeting, Yuri had only become warmer toward Yuuri, in his own way. He had demanded Yuuri’s number from Victor, and started frequently texting him questions about his dance minor. He still snarled and snapped, but it lacked the venom of when they first met. 

“Probably,” Victor agreed, guiding Yuuri toward the rest of the group that had stayed in the living room. It was a little cramped with so many people, but Yuuri was still happy to see everyone. 

Yuuri took his time greeting everyone, chatting briefly with each one of his friends. Yuuri was incredibly pleased to see everyone from different parts of his life getting along. Minako was chatting amicably with Mila and Sara, while Takeshi was pointing out family pictures to Chris, Leo, and Guang Hong. Victor and Phichit hadn’t left his side, both of them hovering to keep checking if Yuuri was ok. 

In return, Yuuri tried to act as a buffer between Victor and Minako, but it ended up being unnecessary. Minako wasn’t friendly per say, but she wasn’t nearly as cold and suspicious as she had been the first time they’d met. She still looked like she was watching Victor for any signs of weakness, but she wasn’t outright glaring like last time. She even approached the pair and struck up a few conversations with Victor. Yuuri counted that as progress. 

Victor had been over to Yuuri’s parents house many times now, the Nishigoris often joining them. They had all warmed nicely to him, and even Mari seemed to like him. She had started to playfully tease him, which was how she showed affection. Minako hadn’t come by during these visits, and Yuuri didn’t know if she was purposefully avoiding seeing Victor again, or just busy. 

Victor was in the middle of telling Minako a story about Yuuri and Makka, when he heard Sara squeal in delight. Yuuri turned to see Takeshi pointing out a baby picture of Yuuri to his college friends. “You were so cute and chubby!” Sara announced happily. 

Yuuri groaned. “Don’t show them that!” 

“Yeah, Takeshi, don’t show them that,” Victor agreed, much to Yuuri’s surprise. He was about to thank his boyfriend for being on his side when Victor said, “Show them the ones in the book instead!” He padded over to the bookshelf, pulling out a photo album. 

Of course his mother had shown the family photo album to Victor. “That’s even worse!” 

“But Yuuri, you’re so adorable! And look, this one has Phichit in it!” Victor exclaimed. 

Phichit grinned, leaning over to look at the picture. “Awww our diapers match!” He clearly didn’t find this embarrassing as Yuuri did. 

Yuuri sighed in defeat, letting his friends coo over his baby pictures. Minako gave him a supportive, rough slap on the back. “You and Victor seem to be doing well,” she commented. 

Nodding, Yuuri agreed, “Yeah. We really are. He’s amazing.” 

Minako hummed in contemplation. “He seems alright.” 

Yuuri raised an eyebrow. That was basically an approval, coming from Minako. He watched her curiously, and she offered a small smile.

“Doesn’t happen often, but I’m wrong occasionally,” she admitted with a shrug. Before Yuuri could comment she continued, “I’m going to get a drink,” and headed toward the kitchen. 

He stared after her, gaping. Minako  _ never _ admitted she was wrong. Ever. Yuuri looked back at Victor, feeling a rush of affection. Victor was winning over everyone. He was currently pointing at pictures of baby Yuuri, and grinning. Yuuri’s friends were standing around him, laughing and cooing. Yuuri couldn’t resist retreating to his boyfriend and throwing his arms around him.

Victor gave him a curious look. “Are you alright?”

Yuuri nodded. “Yeah. Just love you a lot.”

Victor beamed at him, a blush dusting his nose. “Yuuuuri! You’re so sweet!” He kissed the top of Yuuri’s head, and the group let out a collective “awww.” 

Yuuri blushed, hiding his face in Victor’s shirt. Victor chuckled, and returned to the book, flipping through the pages and showing off pictures. Yuuri decided that it wasn’t worth resisting anymore. “There’s one picture missing from there.” He pulled away from Victor, walking back to the shelf. It took a bit of digging, but he found the frame that he made his parents swear they would never show anyone. He sighed, holding the frame out to Victor. Yuuri knew Victor would love this picture.

Looking curious, Victor took the frame, his face immediately breaking into a huge grin. “This is the cutest thing I’ve ever seen!” He held the picture up so the group could see. It was a picture from his first dance recital. He didn’t remember how old he was exactly, but his arms and legs were still stubby, and his cheeks round with baby fat. Yuuri had insisted on wearing a tutu, so he could be a “proper ballerina”. Yuuri just shook his head while his friends gushed over the picture.

Eventually, the group that had gone outside got tired of the November chill and retreated to the warmth of the house. To Yuuri’s surprise, Yuri was chatting animatedly with Yuuko, looking shockingly comfortable with his old friend. Yuuri smiled, nudging Victor to look at the pair. He smiled in return at the sight of his brother making a friend.

They came inside just in time, as Hiroko started calling them all to the kitchen to get their food. There weren’t enough seats at the table, so Mari was setting out extra chairs and trays around the room. It was very cramped, but Yuuri was happy to have everyone so close. Hiroko insisted Yuuri sit at the head of the table as the “guest of honor”, then served everyone their katsudon. Yuuri was both shocked and impressed that she managed to make so many bowls. 

Everyone praised Hiroko’s cooking, even Yuri, who was digging into his bowl with extreme enthusiasm. Victor was basically doing the same, and Yuuri laughed at the similar behavior of the brothers. 

Once the main meal was done, a large cake was brought to the table. Yuuri thought that the comments about the cake had been a joke, but clearly, he was mistaken. It was a large, frosted sheet cake, with letters to match the sign in the living room, as well as two golden rings being broken apart. 

Mari lit a few candles that were stuck in the cake. “It’s also sort of for you birthday, since that’s coming up,” she explained. 

Fortunately, they didn’t sing, but they did make Yuuri blow out all the candles. Victor scooted his chair closer to Yuuri. “Did you make a wish?”

Yuuri took his hand. “No. I already have everything I want right here.” Victor blushed, and looked delighted, until Yuuri reached down to pat Makka’s head. “I’ve always wanted a poodle,” he joked.

“Yuuri! So cruel!” Victor lamented. 

“I’m kidding.” Yuuri kissed Victor’s cheek. 

“Cut the damn cake already!” Yuri yelled from across the table.

Victor shot him a glare, but Hiroko just chuckled. “Be patient. I’ll cut it while Yuuri is opening presents.”

“What?!” Yuuri exclaimed. “Presents are definitely not necessary!” 

“Nonsense! This is an important day, plus your birthday is in a few weeks!” Hiroko insisted. 

Yuuri tried to protest, but a pile of brightly colored boxes were brought out anyway. He felt like a little kid at a birthday party. “You all really didn’t have to. I’m pretty sure presents aren’t customary when you get a divorce.” 

“I’ll always take an excuse to spoil you,” Victor commented, nuzzling Yuuri’s neck. Yuuri blushed in response, and gave in, grabbing the first present. Meanwhile, Hiroko started cutting and serving the cake. She served Yuri first, who immediately dug into the dessert, shoving forkfuls of frosting into his mouth.

The first gift was from the Nishigoris, and very obviously wrapped by the girls. Yuuri pulled open the mismatched paper, revealing a small box completely covered in tape. It took some finangling, but Yuuri was eventually able to pull the box open. Inside were two bracelets made from beads and charms. 

“The girls made them for you and Victor,” Yuuko explained, while the girls smiled proudly. 

“The one with all the dogs is for Victor!” one of the triplets yelled. 

“That’s very thoughtful, thank you.” Yuuri pulled out the bracelets, putting one on his wrist and handing the other to Victor. 

“I love it!” Victor said with a grin, and the girls beamed. 

After that, the flow of presents was steady. Leo and Guang Hong got him a GameStop gift card, and Mila and Sara got him a fashionable cobalt colored scarf. Chris presented an expensive riesling, and whispered a promise to watch Makka any time Yuuri and Victor needed “alone time”. Yuri and Otabek had just signed a card, which Yuuri still appreciated. Minako’s present was a pair of leggings that she claimed all her dancers were going crazy for, and Phichit gave Yuuri a stuffed poodle that was a perfect replica of Makka. Victor was particularly delighted by that gift, and Yuuri was grateful, because Phichit understood that at some point Makka had stopped being just Victor’s dog, and was now  _ their _ dog. 

Next was Yuuri’s family. He peeled back the paper, revealing a hand-made book labeled “Recipes”. Flipping through the pages, he realized it was a list of his favorite family recipes, all compiled in one place with comments and illustrations. He recognized the handwriting of all of his family members, and it was clear they had worked together on it. 

“So you and Victor can cook together!” Toshiya explained, and Yuuri smiled at the realization that his family had put something together for them as a couple. 

“Can’t have you embarrass the family with terrible cooking skills,” Mari teased, nudging Victor with her elbow. 

“And that way you will both be ready to help out at family dinners!” Hiroko said cheerfully, and Yuuri was once again grateful for Victor being included. 

Victor was beaming. “That’s wonderful!” He flipped through the book, then turned to look at Yuuri. “I can’t wait to make these with you!” 

Yuuri smiled. “Me too. Thank you all, these were really thoughtful gifts,” he said genuinely. 

Victor huffed. “I haven’t given you my gift yet!” 

“I thought the party was your gift? You don’t need to get me anything else!” 

“Too late!” Victor chirped, producing a large, relatively flat present. 

Victor looked very excited about the gift, so Yuuri opened it quickly, chuckling at the dog-themed wrapping paper. As soon as the paper was peeled away, he gasped. It was a set of rectangular picture frames, both in portrait and landscape, adhered together to make a collage. Each frame contained a picture of him and Victor. There was a picture of him and Victor on Belle Isle, a picture of them in front of the river with Makka, the picture of Yuuri dipping Victor at their dance lesson, a picture of Makka licking Yuuri’s face while Victor laughed gleefully, and a few other photos of them on various adventures, with their selfie in front of Lake Michigan in the center. 

Yuuri looked up at Victor, at a loss for words. Victor looked a little nervous. “Is this ok? We didn’t have any pictures of us at home, so I thought it would be nice.” 

His heart swelled at the use of the word “home”. He grabbed Victor, wrapping his arms around him. “It’s perfect, thank you. I love it. I love you.” 

Victor squeezed him back. “I love you too.” He pulled back, smiling warmly. 

At that moment, Yuuri didn’t think his life could get any more perfect. 

\------------------------

Waking up one morning in early December, Yuuri knew it was going to be a bad day. He couldn’t sleep, being plagued by nightmares every time he closed his eyes. He kept dreaming about Anna. Yuuri kept dreaming about catching her with Sebastian, except sometimes Sebastian would morph into Victor. That evolved into dreams about coming home and catching Victor cheating, and Victor giving him the same spiel as Anna had about being boring. He woke up more than once, heart racing, with the image of Victor sneering and laughing at him seared into his brain.

Around 4:00 in the morning, Yuuri rolled over so he could see Victor’s sleeping face. He looked peaceful, his face relaxed, a little bit of drool at the corner of his mouth. It was nothing like the cruel images his nightmares had conjured up. Yuuri reached over to intertwine his fingers with Victor’s, causing his boyfriend to twitch in his sleep. He tried to fall asleep, hoping Victor’s hand in his own would make him feel anchored and calm enough to sleep without nightmares.

Yuuri had no such luck. He fell asleep again as the sun was just starting to rise, but it was a fitful sleep. This time, he dreamt about Victor leaving him for Anna, laughing when Yuuri begged him to stay. He woke again, tears already in his eyes. It didn’t matter how ridiculous the dreams actually were, they were leaving him sleepless and stressed. 

He knew why he was dreaming about Anna: today would have been their 6 year anniversary. His brain wanted to remind him of what he had lost, and how he had failed as a husband. 

His brain was not so helpfully providing him images of the night they broke up, in addition to flashes of their wedding day. Their winter wedding hadn’t been exactly traditional, but they hadn’t wanted to wait any longer, being so young and smitten with each other. Their families barely made it in time for the ceremony. He could very clearly remember how his face hurt from smiling, despite the concerned whispers from his family that they were moving too fast. Now, he just wished he’d listened. 

Yuuri groaned, patting around to find Victor’s hand again. Only, the bed was empty. Yuuri’s head shot up, his eyes falling on Victor’s side of the bed. The sheets were still messy, but when he ran his hand over it, the bed was cold. Victor had gotten up some time ago, Yuuri guessed. Of course he had. Why would he want to stay in bed with Yuuri, who was probably tossing and turning like crazy? In fact, why would he want to stay with Yuuri at all? Surely, he must be bored by now. Yuuri groaned again, letting the self deprecating thoughts consume him. 

He wasn’t sure how long he laid in bed, wallowing, but eventually, the door creaked open and Makka rushed in, hopping up on the bed and licking his face. Victor poked his head in behind her. Yuuri scratched Makka’s ears, not looking at Victor.

“You feeling ok? I know you like to sleep in, but it’s late even for you.” Victor approached the bed, placing a hand on Yuuri’s forehead to check his temperature. Yuuri pushed the hand away.

“I’m fine,” he said flatly. He knew he didn’t look it. There must be deep shadows under his eyes, and probably the remnants of his tears on his cheeks. 

“Yuuri.” 

“Victor,” he snapped, more harshly than he meant. 

Victor’s eyes widened briefly, then he sighed. “I’ll make you some tea.” He walked out of the room, looking at Yuuri sadly.

Yuuri rolled over, mentally kicking himself. If Victor wasn’t done with him before, he would be now. He snapped at Victor over nothing, over worrying about him! What kind of boyfriend was he? Yuuri knew he should apologize and explain what was going on. However, he couldn’t stop falling deeper into a dark pit of despair. 

Holding back a sob, Yuuri rolled himself out of bed, dragging himself into the living room. True to his word, Victor was already steeping the tea. Yuuri plopped down at the table, and Victor placed the mug in front of him. He sat down across from Yuuri with a mug of his own. 

He eyed Yuuri for a few moments, then spoke. “Do you want to talk about it?”

Yuuri stiffened. How could he possibly burden Victor with his anxiety? “No,” Yuuri answered flatly.

Victor frowned, but kept pushing. “Are you sure? I’m here to listen.”

“No,” Yuuri repeated

VIctor sighed. “Yuuri, I can’t help you if you don’t talk to me.”

“I don’t want to talk,” Yuuri hissed. 

Victor’s frown deepened, and he set his mug on the table, loudly. “I’m taking Makka out,” he announced.

Yuuri didn’t react. If he opened his mouth, everything would just get worse. Apparently, he couldn’t say anything right today. He was messing up so bad that Victor was forgoing their daily walk together with Makka. He always asked if Yuuri wanted to with him. Yuuri’s throat tightened as Victor stepped out the door, staring longingly at the abandoned mug of tea his boyfriend left behind.

He was going to ruin everything, just like he had with Anna. Victor would probably walk back in and tell him he was done, that he would go find someone that wasn’t such a mess. With Victor gone, Yuuri just stewed in his misery. The day he broke up with Anna kept replaying in his mind, her words seared into his brain.

_ You’re not exciting. _

_ You’re safe. Boring. _

Yuuri desperately pushed back tears, clenching his fists so hard he knew he would have nail marks in his palm. His head fell forward on the table, and he was shaking and taking gasping breaths, his mind convinced that Victor was going to come back and break up with him. Maybe he should just give Victor an out, so he didn’t feel like he had to stay with Yuuri out of some bizarre obligation. Realistically, Yuuri knew he wouldn’t bring himself to do that, he was far too selfish. He wanted to hold on to Victor. 

So lost in his misery, Yuuri didn’t realize how much time had passed. His body was aching, and when he grabbed his mug, it was cold. He was vaguely aware of the door opening and then closing again, Makka’s tags jingling as she trotted over to Yuuri. She nosed at his hand, but he was struggling to get his body to respond, his forehead still flat on the table.

“Yuuri?” Victor placed a hand on Yuuri’s back, and he flinched. Victor’s hand was immediately removed, and Yuuri was kicking himself again for continuing to push Victor away.

Victor made a frustrated noise. “I don’t know what to do. I don’t know what you want from me. Should I just kiss you or something to make you feel better?”

The question finally snapped something in Yuuri. His head shot up, tears filling his eyes. “No! Why would you think that’s what I need right now?” he yelled. 

Victor scowled. “How am I supposed to know what you need, you won’t talk to me! What do you want me to say?”

“I don’t want you to say anything!” he sobbed. “Just stay by my side! I haven’t been able to stop thinking that you want to break up with me.” 

“Yuuri of course I don’t--”

“I know!” he interrupted. “Logically, I know,” Yuuri said a little quieter. “But...I…” he struggled to form the words he needed. 

Victor looked unsure, but took a deep breath. “When you moved in, we promised we would talk to each other,” he reminded Yuuri softly. 

Yuuri stared at Victor through tear filled eyes. Victor didn’t look too good himself. His eyes were red and puffy, and his entire body was tense. He had clearly been crying. He took Makka out on his own and cried. Suddenly, Yuuri felt horrible. Early in their friendship, Victor had told Yuuri that he never felt comfortable expressing his emotions with Sebastian. He had promised Victor to never make him feel that way, and yet here he was, shutting Victor down when he just wanted to help.

The dam broke, and Yuuri sobbed and took heaving breaths. Victor stood back, letting him cry it out. He wanted to feel Victor’s arms around him, but he knew the distance was his own fault. When he finally got himself under control, Yuuri was finally able to form the words he needed. 

“Today would have been our 6 year anniversary. Anna and I,” Yuuri whispered. 

Victor’s expression softened. “Oh, Yuuri.” 

Yuuri sniffled. “I’m so exhausted. I was awake all night with nightmares about Anna. And you.”

“Me?”

Yuuri nodded. “I kept dreaming about you in Anna’s place, telling me that I’m boring. That you were done with me. I dreamt about coming home and finding you in bed with someone else or...with her.” He swallowed hard. “My anxiety is so bad today, and I’m so so tired. I can’t do anything right, and I pushed you away and yelled at you.” Yuuri teared up again. “I’m so sorry. You don’t deserve to be yelled at like that. I know you were only trying to help. Sometimes, I get so trapped in my own head, I can’t get out.” 

Victor didn’t hesitate. “I forgive you.” 

Yuuri’s eyes widened. “But...I was awful! I snapped at you, and made you cry! I was just like Sebastian. I wouldn’t blame you for wanting to leave.” He hung his head in shame. 

“Do you know what the difference between you and Sebastian is?” Victor asked.

Yuuri shook his head in response. Makka continued to nose at his hand, and he was finally able to respond enough to pet her.

“Sebastian would have never admitted he was wrong. He wouldn’t have apologized. I don’t appreciate being yelled at, but I can honestly say you’re not like him at all.” 

Taking a tentative step forward, Victor held out his hand. Yuuri responded by reaching out so their hands could meet. Their fingers intertwined. It was a little awkward, and Victor had to kneel next to the chair, but both of them wanted to reconnect. 

“I’m sorry. I’m so, so sorry,” Yuuri repeated, squeezing Victor’s hand. “I love you so much, I don’t want to lose you.”

“You won’t,” Victor said firmly. “I’m here. I’ll always be here.” He returned the squeeze on Yuuri’s hand. “What do you need right now?”

Yuuri looked at Victor through tear filled eyes, noticing Victor’s own eyes shiny with tears. “Can we cuddle?” Yuuri asked timidly. He was fully prepared for Victor to deny him, considering the hurt he had just caused.

Victor just smiled and stood up, gently pulling Yuuri over to the couch. He sat down, then pulled Yuuri toward him. Yuuri went willingly, folding himself onto Victor’s lap so his head on was on Victor’s chest and he was listening to his boyfriend’s heartbeat. Victor finally released his hand, but only so he could wrap his arms around Yuuri and rub his back.

“In the future, what should I do for you when this happens?” Victor asked after a few moments of silence.

“Just this. Stay with me, let me know that you’re not going anywhere.” 

Victor hummed. “I can do that. But,” he said sternly, “not if you yell at me. I’m going to walk away if you snap at me like that.” 

“That’s fair,” Yuuri agreed. “I am really sorry.” 

Victor kissed the top of his head. “I know you are, and that’s why it’s easy to forgive you.” 

Yuuri swallowed hard. “Are you sure that you’re not...bored?” he could barely say the last word.    
  
Victor shook his head. “Not even a little bit. I still hate that she said that to you.”

“Even though we haven’t…”

“Haven’t what?” 

“You know…”

Victor made a confused noise. “I don’t follow.” 

Yuuri buried his face in Victor’s shoulder so the words would be muffled. “Even though we haven’t had sex?”

“What do you mean? We have sex all the time.” He sounded almost smug about the declaration, but still confused about Yuuri’s question. 

“I meant like...all the way,” Yuuri clarified with a blush, his face still buried in Victor’s shoulder so his boyfriend couldn’t see his flustered face. 

“Oh, that. No, I’m enjoying myself plenty.”

“Are you sure? You don’t want to do more?”

Victor rubbed soothing patterns into his back. “Want to? Yes. Have to? No. I’ll be happy either way. I don’t want you to feel pressured.” 

“I don’t,” Yuuri clarified. “You’ve never made me feel uncomfortable. I still want to,” he insisted. 

Victor kissed his head again. “Then we’ll get there in time. There’s no rush, we have the rest of our lives.” 

The comment made Yuuri feel warm. He hugged Victor tighter, enjoying the comfort of his boyfriend’s embrace. He closed his eyes, feeling his muscles slowly relax and his mind start to go peacefully blank. He must have dozed off at some point, because a while later, he was groggy, and being jostled as Victor laid him down on the couch. He tried to protest, but Victor just chuckled quietly and threw a blanket over him, nestling himself beside Yuuri so they were crammed together on the sofa. Makka jumped up and curled up on their feet. Yuuri sighed contentedly, falling into a dreamless sleep. 

\------------------------

Yuuri stood outside the same sex store that he and Victor had visited a few months prior on their date, trying to phsyche himself up to go inside. He honestly wasn’t sure how he finally came to the decision that he was going to do this. The idea had been warring in his mind for months, and he really had never been able to act on it. He wasn’t sure exactly what the stimulus was for this particular act of courage. He had just looked at Victor this morning and knew he was ready. Maybe it was the conversation after their fight a couple weeks ago, or maybe it was Victor’s upcoming birthday that had him wanting to do something special. Whatever the reason, Yuuri wasn’t going to back down. 

He wanted to seduce Victor and this time, he wanted to do it right. No awkward fumbling, no botched seduction, and no holding back. Yuuri took a deep breath, letting himself into the shop. The cashier barely looked up from their book to shoot Yuuri an uninterested look before dropping their gaze back to what they were reading. Yuuri preferred it that way, as he didn’t think he’d be able to shop at a store like this with an employee breathing down his neck.

Ignoring the rest of the displays, Yuuri walked quickly over to where the clothes were. It had been months since he was here, so he wasn’t sure if any of the clothes he liked would still be there. The displays had changed, and he had to dig through the racks of clothing to find what he was looking for, but he eventually found the black and red pole shorts he liked in the clearance bin. They were just like he remembered with crimson undertones visible under a set of tears. He wasn’t sure if they would fit, as there was just one size left, but he tucked them under his arm anyway. 

The shoe display actually looked quite similar to how it had months ago, although the featured shoes were different. However, the black, red-laced platform boots that he liked were still there. He found a pair in his size and added it to his pile. Digging through the rest of the racks, he couldn’t find the mesh crop top that he had liked. 

Just as he was about to look for an alternative, he spotted it, sitting on a mannequin at the back of the display. He glanced at the top, then back at the employee who was still reading and not paying attention to what Yuuri was doing. He could probably take it off the display and the employee wouldn’t notice, but his parents had raised him better than that. Reluctantly, Yuuri approached the employee at the register and cleared his throat. They looked up at him, eyebrows raised.

“Can I help you?” They drawled in a bored monotone. 

“Um, is it ok if I take that shirt off the display mannequin? I don’t see it anywhere else and I’ve been looking for a while,” he asked nervously.

The employee shrugged. “Do whatever you want. I don’t get paid enough to care.” With that, they returned to their book.

Yuuri muttered a quiet thank you, before wrestling the top off the mannequin. Next, he decided to try it on. He dressed in the dressing rooms, which Yuuri was cursing only having a curtain. Who wanted to try on skimpy lingerie with only a curtain to keep them out of sight?! 

The clothes fit surprisingly well, considering his size options had been limited. The shorts and shoes were quite comfortable, and the top slid on easily, fitting him perfectly down to the fingerless gloves. He spun around a few times, bent over, and raised his arms above his head to make sure the outfit wouldn’t rip or catch. It moved with him.

Feeling satisfied, Yuuri changed back into his street clothes and carried his purchases to the register. The employee rung them up without looking up from their book. Yuuri was actually quite grateful for their indifference, as his embarrassment was still at its peak.

Once he had his purchases in his car, he went straight to the pole studio, letting himself in with his spare key. Even if he didn’t teach regular classes anymore, the owner was nice enough to let him still come and practice when he wanted. In exchange, he helped out with workshops when he could. It didn’t hurt that she was friends with Minako, too. 

The studio was the same as always, except it was empty, because it was closed. Which was the point. Yuuri really didn’t like practicing in front of people to begin with, so he usually kept to the back room, but what he had in mind wouldn’t exactly be appropriate for an audience anyway. 

Yuuri slipped into the bathroom to change into just the shorts, because even if he was alone, it still felt weird getting undressed in the middle of the studio. Once he was changed, he wiped down the pole with alcohol and applied Dry Hands. He placed his glasses in his bag and warmed up with his standard routine and stretches, paying special attention to how the new shorts felt as he moved. They were a high quality brand, and despite being the last pair at the store, they didn’t seem to be any worse for wear. 

When his muscles were warm and his body felt loose and stretched, he took a few gulps of water before putting on the rest of his new outfit along with the fishnet stockings he brought from home. He admired himself in the mirror, feeling surprisingly good about how the outfit looked. After a few more gulps of water, he dimmed the lights to performance levels, and ran through his entire routine, once again paying attention to how the outfit moved. It still fit perfectly, not snagging or chaffing, even when he did inverts or floorwork. It wasn’t an easy routine, and he was breathing heavily by the end of it. Hopefully, Victor would be too when he saw it. 

After only the briefest hesitation and another water break, Yuuri sent a quick text:

**Yuuri** : Ok, I’m ready. Tell him to come in the front door, lock it, and walk all the way to the back. 

**Yuuri** : And then sit down and wait.

**Chris** : You got it ;) 

Yuuri released a shaky breath. The plan was officially in motion. Chris had been delighted to be involved, eager to help Yuuri distract Victor until he was ready, then drive him to the studio. In fact, when Chris had found out that Yuuri pole danced, he insisted on dancing together, claiming he was an experienced pole dancer himself. Yuuri wasn’t quite sure if he was ready for that (sober), but he agreed that they could come to the studio together some time. After all, Chris was not only getting Victor where he needed to be, he was also watching Makkachin for them tonight.

To push down the panic, Yuuri got to work on the finishing touches. He wiped down the pole again, and applied makeup, just like Phichit had showed him ages ago. He didn’t need any blush, as his cheeks would become plenty flushed with exertion, so it wasn’t a lot, just some eyeliner and mascara to make his eyes pop, and some red lipstick to give him a kiss bitten look. Plus, the idea of kissing Victor and leaving crimson lipstick marks on him was incredibly tempting. Next, he put contacts in, and slicked back his hair. 

The last step was to set out a chair and double check that the sound system was set up properly. He turned on his pole dance playlist on low, just so he wasn’t completely alone with his thoughts. Yuuri swallowed hard against the nerves. All he could do now was wait. He really hoped that Victor liked the routine he had prepared, because it was very much inspired by the man himself. Yuuri had poured every ounce of seduction he could manage into it. When he was choreographing, he’d think about Victor: what Victor would like, what Yuuri wanted Victor to do to him. 

Yuuri was snapped out of his thoughts by the sound of the door opening, followed by the lock clicking. With a final deep breath, Yuuri got into position, leaning up against the pole and smirking in the direction of the doorway. He just hoped his nerves wouldn’t be too obvious. 

The sound of Victor’s shoes clacking on the wood floor got louder, until he was stepping into the back room, eyes wide. Yuuri chose the back room partly because it was where he felt the most secure, and partly because it was the best place for a private show. There was one pole, which could be set to spin or static, surrounded by mirrors on 3 of the 4 walls. He had asked the owner for permission before bringing Victor in for a show, but it still felt a little scandalous, performing for Victor in the studio like this. 

Victor was just standing in the doorway, eyes still wide, looking Yuuri up and down. “Wow. I don’t know what I expected when Chris told me to get in the car, but this is better than anything I could have ever imagined. You look incredibly sexy,” Victor said appreciatively, licking his lips. 

Yuuri resisted the urge to preen at Victor’s obvious approval, instead maintaining a more collected, superior aura. “Victor,” Yuuri said sternly, “didn’t Chris tell you what I wanted you to do?” 

Victor blinked at him a few times, before his eyes moved over to the chair. “Oh! Right!” He practically scampered over to the chair, obviously excited for the show. At this point, it wasn’t exactly a mystery what Yuuri was going to do. 

Still, he hoped he could surprise Victor. “Good,” Yuuri purred, and Victor’s eyes widened again at the praise, blushing slightly. “Now, I want you to sit there and enjoy the show. Don’t move.” 

Yuuri strutted over to the sound system, and Victor whistled appreciatively. Yuuri blushed, but didn’t let his demeanor change. He selected the song, immediately turning and walking back toward the pole, his hips swaying and his steps in time with the music. How to walk around the pole was one of the first things a beginner was taught. Whether they were barefoot or in heels, the technique was the same. There were a few variations, but Yuuri went for high steps and swaying hips rather than a pop or a glide. 

He was back at his pole within the first few beats of the song, and Yuuri could tell that Victor recognized his choice. “Naughty Girl” by Beyonce was probably cliche, but it was just such a perfect pole dancing song. Strong beat, suggestive lyrics, and a music video that fit very well with the vibe he was going for. It was perfect. 

Yuuri threw in a few pole rolls, before the lyrics started and he went straight into floorwork. He wanted to start off slow, teasing Victor, making him wonder what Yuuri was capable of. He started with a few basic swoops and dips, just getting Victor’s attention. For every move, his eyes were either locked onto Victor directly, or onto his form in the mirror. 

He did a few more basic moves, throwing in a fan kick before twisting into a split grip, his legs slowly sliding farther apart, ass toward Victor. In the mirror, he could see Victor’s eyes glued on him as he slowly lowered himself into a full split.

_ I’m feelin’ sexy _

_ I wanna hear you say my name boy _

Yuuri threw in a booty pop in time with the beat, before swinging himself around so he was facing Victor and sitting flat on the floor. He licked his lips, grabbing one leg to lift completely over his head, following the rhythm of the music. Yuuri lifted the other leg into a V shape to follow, clapping his heeled feet together on the next heavy beat. Then, in a flash, he was up on his feet for the chorus. 

_ I'm feelin' kind of n-a-s-t-y I just might take you home with me _

Without wasting a beat, Yuuri pulled himself into an invert. It was time to show off a bit. He flowed through moves, arching his back and running his hands along his body while his thighs held him in place. He contorted and spun around, practically bending around the pole to grab his toes on an inside leg hang. Gracefully twisting himself again to gain momentum, Yuuri briefly flashed an open V with his legs, before rotating into a stag position, one leg gripping the pole, the other bent behind him held at the top of his foot, his free hand extended toward Victor. 

_ I know you want my body _

Victor was sitting at the edge of his chair, his hands gripping his pants tightly. His entire attention was on Yuuri, lips slightly parted. He watched every move, eyeing Yuuri hungrily as he danced. Yuuri smirked in satisfaction.

_ You're so sexy _

_ Tonight I am all yours boy _

As the lyrics became more drawn out, Yuuri leaned forward, sliding down the pole until his hands were on the floor and his legs were opening into another set of splits. He held the position for a few moments, then subtly reached over to pull the pin out of the ground, putting the pole on spin. He wrapped his legs back around the pole, using his core strength to pull himself up and creating momentum as he moved. He climbed in time with the music so he was higher up the pole, keeping the pole spinning slowly, and adjusting his grip so he was in a simple pole sit. The metal pole sat comfortably between his thighs, and he leaned back, blowing Victor a kiss. It was a really basic move, but he liked how it let him arch and bend, and run his hands over his body for Victor to see. 

_ I don't know what's gotten into me _

_ The rhythm's got me feelin' so crazy babe _

The main chorus started again, and Yuuri moved his body so the pole sped up. He moved quickly through positions, the pole spinning him around. Yuuri held on with his hands, his legs dangling and changing shapes with the beat. Straddling the pole, a leg hook, and just bending his legs around to make interesting shapes that weren’t necessarily part of any moves that he had been taught. The whole time, he maintained the speed of the spin. At one point, he took a hand off the pole, rubbing it along his abdomen and up to the mesh top. 

_ I love to love you baby _

Once the lyrics changed again, Yuuri descended gracefully, purposefully landing with a clunk of his heels. He did a few pole rolls and dips while the dizziness faded, then slowly moved toward Victor, the smirk back on his face. Yuuri hadn’t touched him, and Victor looked wrecked. He was close enough that he could see the flush on Victor’s cheeks and neck, his blown pupils, and chest heaving. It made Yuuri feel powerful, sexy, to have affected Victor like that. 

When he reached his boyfriend, who was still leaning forward in the chair, Yuuri put a hand on his chest and pushed him, so he was sitting back. Then, he ran his hands up Victor’s thighs in time with the music. 

_ I see you look me up and down _

His hands worked up Victor’s legs, briefly teasing his hands over the inside of Victor’s thighs, before moving them upward. He moved up Victor’s abdomen, then his chest, slowly sliding his hands over Victor’s shoulders. Then, he moved his hands down, opposite of the way he came. Victor’s breath caught as he moved lower, but he didn’t stop where Victor wanted him to. Instead, when his hands returned to Victor’s thighs, he threw one leg over the back of the chair, so the back of his heel was just sitting on the wood. He ran one hand down his stocking clad leg, holding eye contact with Victor, who was watching the hand hungrily. Yuuri hadn’t told Victor not to touch him, but he was acting like it was an unspoken rule, now gripping roughly at the edge of the chair. 

Yuuri shifted his leg over Victor’s shoulder so it was bent, gyrating his hips that were now quite close to Victor’s face. In fact, he was close enough that he could feel Victor’s hot breath on his inner thigh, spurring him on. Suddenly, he pulled back, completely stepping away from Victor and strutting around the chair, his hand dragging over Victor the entire time. He felt Victor shudder under his fingers. 

It really hadn’t been Yuuri’s intention to turn the last part of the routine into a lap dance. He had only meant to tease Victor a little, then grind on him until they both couldn’t stand it anymore. However, he was enjoying teasing his boyfriend, so he decided to keep going, even after the song changed. Yuuri wasn’t even paying attention to what it was, just listening to the strong beat to keep him in time.

Yuuri stopped once he was behind the chair, running both of his hands down Victor’s chest and leaning into him, nipping his ear as his fingers danced back upwards. Victor gasped, and shifted in the chair. Yuuri kept one hand on the back of Victor’s neck as he moved to the side of the chair. He bent forward toward Victor, arching his back and sticking his ass out, and placing one hand on Victor’s thighs in front of him. With a roll of his body he stood back up, bending a leg over Victor’s lap and placing the heel on the edge of the opposite side of the chair. He moved his hand like he was going to run it down his body again, but instead reached forward and grasped Victor’s chin, holding him in place. Yuuri leaned in, teasing a kiss, but backed away without actually touching their lips together. Victor groaned in frustration.

Pulling away from Victor and moving to the front of the chair, Yuuri turned around so Victor had a full view of his backside, then he rolled his hips, moving his hands over his butt and sides as he moved. He elongated his neck, glancing over his shoulder so he could see Victor’s expression. He was not disappointed to find that Victor was still entranced, watching him with dark eyes.

Yuuri grinned triumphantly to himself as he slowly backed up, using his own legs to spread Victor’s. He dropped down in between Victor’s legs, keeping his hands on his boyfriend’s knees and throwing in a few neck rolls for good measure. Then, he placed both hands flat on the ground in front of him, springing up so he was standing with his legs spread, back arched, and ass on display. He peeked his head over his shoulder again and winked.

As much as he was enjoying taking his time driving Victor crazy, Yuuri desperately wanted to feel his boyfriend’s hands on him. He rolled up, turning around to hover over Victor, and slowly lowered himself so Yuuri was straddling him. He placed his hands on Victor’s shoulders, then started rolling his hips to the beat. Victor moaned underneath him, so hot and hard. His hips rose to meet Yuuri’s, his breath coming out in uneven pants and he finally put his hands on him. 

Once Victor was touching him, he couldn’t seem to stop. He ran his hands all over Yuuri’s body, clearly enjoying the feel of the fishnet and the lace under his fingers. “Fuck, you’re incredible,” he moaned as Yuuri ground down particularly hard. 

He gripped Yuuri’s hips, and Yuuri decided he was tired of not kissing Victor. He grabbed a fistfull of Victor’s soft, silver hair, pulling him into a rough, desperate kiss. 

Their tongues slid together, hot and silky in a mockery of fucking that had Yuuri rolling desperately against Victor’s body. Victor moaned into his mouth, and Yuuri could feel him hard and pulsing under his ass. Suddenly Yuuri couldn’t stand not to have that beautiful cock inside him somehow. Without breaking the kiss, he moved his hands to begin frantically unbuttoning Victor’s fly and shoved them down a little. 

“Yuuri, Yuuri, Yuuri,” Victor chanted on a breath as Yuuri moved down to where he could see the tip of Victor’s cock beaded with precome and looking entirely delicious. Ignoring his own straining erection, Yuuri took Victor in his mouth with a muffled moan. Victor tasted as delicious as he had the last time Yuuri did this. Only this time, there was more of a zing to it. After all, the studio may be deserted, but he was hardly the only person with a key. Anyone could walk by and catch them. Yuuri found he almost wanted someone to catch him doing this to Victor, claiming him with his mouth. Victor was his and he wanted the whole world to know that only he could make Victor swear in that strained voice. 

“Fuck, Yuuri, I’m...I’m close.” Victor was tugging at his hair and Yuuri sucked him down harder. Victor’s cock slid into the back of his throat and he swallowed and that was it for Victor. With a shout, Victor came down the back of Yuuri’s throat. 

Yuuri popped off with a small kiss to the end of Victor’s softening cock and an admiring look at the red smudges of lipstick, then buried his burning face in Victor’s lap. Lust still surged through his veins, and it was all Yuuri could do not to just hump Victor’s leg like an animal. “Sorry. I-sorry I got carried away.”

Above him, Victor gasped and panted for a moment. “Nngh. Don’t….ever apologize baby. That was. You are. Something else. I never want to ever hear someone call you boring in bed again. I’ll fight them.”

Yuuri gasped out a strangled giggle. “Oh my god, Victor! Really?”

“My god, that was the hottest thing that anyone has ever done to me. Ever. Really, you are amazing.”

“I’m glad you liked it. How was the dancing?” Yuuri smiled shyly up at Victor. Victor pulled him back into his lap, palming him through the thin shorts and eliciting a gasp.

“The dancing was amazing. You’re amazing, baby. Now what can I do to repay you, hmm?”

Yuuri rolled his hips into Victor’s hand once, then pulled back, face burning. “I-I want, um…”

“Come on, you can tell me.” Victor’s face was understanding as always, his hands on Yuuri’s body a soothing steadying presence.

Yuuri took a deep breath and rushed out, “Iwantyoutofuckme.”

Victor’s hands stilled and he looked surprised. “Oh! I meant, right now what do you want?”

“That. I want...please Victor.” Yuuri was almost whining. 

Victor looked at him in something like awe. “Ok. But not here. I’m not letting your first time be anything but perfect. Not to mention I need more than a minute to go again. I don’t have your stamina. Want me to take the edge off now?”

Yuuri shivered. “No, let’s just go home. I-I need the edge to keep the nerves at bay.”

With one last lingering kiss, Yuuri untangled himself from Victor and stood. While he turned off his music and straightened the studio the little it needed to, Victor put himself back together so he looked a bit less like he’d just been ravaged. Yuuri slipped back into his track pants over the shorts and slipped the heels off in favor of his trainers. Hand in hand, they walked out back to Yuuri’s car without encountering anyone. 

By the time they got home to the apartment, Yuuri’s arousal had faded to a humming in his veins and a hyper-awareness of every move Victor made. Every casual touch felt like an electric shock to Yuuri’s overclocked nerves as Victor drew him into the apartment. In the hallway Victor paused and gave Yuuri a searching look. 

“Are you sure? We don’t have to.”

Yuuri was not ashamed to admit that he whined a little. “Victor, if you do not take me to bed and fuck me senseless I--I will not be responsible for what happens!”

Victor’s laugh was one of Yuuri’s favorite sounds in the world, and they were both grinning as Victor pulled Yuuri into his room and began undressing him. First to go were the track pants, shoes, and shorts. But then Victor stopped and just looked at him. Yuuri shivered a little under the scrutiny.

“You should leave the shirt and stockings on,” Victor murmured huskily.

Yuuri strutted a little to the bed and arranged himself just so on it. “Oh? Like what you see?”

“Always.”

“Then get over here and show me!” Yuuri didn’t know where this confident side of him was coming from, but he ran with it, and leveled a wink at Victor.

Victor wasted no time in stumbling out of his clothes and pouncing on Yuuri, licking a damp stripe up his half-hard cock and feathering kisses across his bare stomach. He wasted some time sucking little red spots into the skin of Yuuri’s abdomen and hips before he finally pulled the lube out of the bedside drawer. It was already half-empty, and Yuuri spared a brief thought to having to buy more soon at this rate. Victor interrupted his bemused thoughts by running a dry finger around his entrance, making Yuuri shiver.

“Are you still sure? I don’t want to rush you.”

“Victorrr” Yuuri whined. “Please, I am literally begging y-oh!”

The very tip of Victor’s finger slid inside him, stopping any further words from forming. Yuuri wasn’t totally used to the sensations of having his ass played with, but it was growing more familiar. He had to admit, he really quite liked having Victor finger him, the way he slowly inserted each digit and then pressed up into Yuuri’s prostate before inserting another. Victor was as careful and thorough as always, despite Yuuri’s squirming pleas for “more, please Victor, more”. He stretched Yuuri until the other man was a squirming dripping mess, cock an angry red line against his stomach and precome smeared across his skin. 

Finally, ( _ finally _ ) Victor pulled his fingers back and wiped them on his discarded shirt before reaching for a condom (“not glow in the dark, I promise darling”) and putting it on. Yuuri lay on the mattress, panting a little, head swimming with suppressed lust. He clutched at Victor’s arms as Victor positioned himself at Yuuri’s entrance. 

“Ready, love?”

“Y-yea, please!”

“Ok.” 

And then Victor was sliding in slowly, smoothly filling Yuuri up, and it was like nothing that had ever happened to him before. Victor’s cock was hot and hard, filling and stretching him in ways he never knew he needed until then. It pressed against his prostate, making his own cock pulse dangerously close to release, and yet pressed in further. Yuuri wondered dazedly if this was what it was like for women too, this impossible closeness and fullness. He had never felt so connected to another person in his life, like he and Victor were one being, moving together in perfect sync. 

“Oh!” Yuuri gasped, tears springing to his eyes. “Oh god, yes.”   
  


Victor looked slightly concerned, his hips pausing in their slow rhythm. “Is it ok? I’m not hurting you?”

“Please god don’t stop, it’s perfect it-it feels so...so right.” The tears continued to fall, but Victor seemed to take him at his word and began moving gently again. 

After a few strokes, they found a rhythm and soon the room was filled with the sound of their slapping flesh and small grunts of effort as Victor fucked into him in long strokes that punched little gasps of air from Yuuri’s lungs. Victor leaned down and captured his lips, and Yuuri swore he heard angels sing. Yuuri rocked in that perfect space, surrounded and filled and loved so completely that he was crying a little again. And then Victor brought his slick hand up to stroke Yuuri’s cock, once, twice, three times and the world went white around him. He had no idea what kind of noise he made into Victor’s mouth, his senses too overwhelmed and shorted out to register anything but the blinding pleasure of the orgasm. 

When Yuuri came back to himself, Victor was laying slumped over him with his face buried in Yuuri’s neck. He was still buried in Yuuri and they both twitched with aftershocks.

“D y’come?” Yuuri’s mouth only barely responded to his brain. Victor had literally fucked the words out of him, apparently.

“God Yuuri, so hard. You were so amazing, and the sounds you made as you came, then you clenched up so tight around me, and I couldn’t hold on anymore.” Victor sounded a little awed.

“S’good.”

“How was it for you? Did you like it?” Victor raised his head to peer down at Yuuri, his expression full of earnest concern. 

Words were still escaping Yuuri at the moment, so he pulled Victor down into a heated kiss that he hoped expressed exactly how amazing he felt in that moment. Perhaps it did, because when Victor pulled back he had a soft smile on his face as he gazed deeply into Yuuri’s eyes. There was no doubt about the love radiating from him. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next time: A familiar face, a decision, and an ending
> 
> I can't believe we're almost done!


	11. Unconditionally

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> An ending

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here it is, the ending! I hope you're all happy with how it ended! In the future, I wouldn't be opposed to doing some oneshots in this universe for fun, but for now, this is it! Thank you all for your support! I put a little blerb about my future projects in the notes at the end if you like my writing and want to read more! I seriously can't believe this fic is done. This is my first ever completed multichapter fic :O

Yuuri awoke to the feeling of fingers trailing down his bare back, and lips pressed against the nape of his neck. He sighed contentedly, leaning into the contact. 

“Good morning, love,” Victor greeted, pressing another kiss onto his neck. “Happy anniversary.” 

Rolling over, Yuuri blinked away the sleep as best he could, smiling at Victor. “G’morning. Happy anniversary,” he mumbled sleepily, tucking his face into Victor’s neck. 

Victor chuckled warmly. “I need to take Makka out, but I didn’t want you to wake up without me. I’ll be right back.”

Yuuri grumbled as Victor rolled away from him, pawing at the now empty spot next to him. “Noooooo stay,” he mumbled. 

“I’ll be right back. Makka was just whining like she needs to go potty,” he explained. 

Yuuri relented. If Makka needed to go out, he wasn’t going to fuss. “Mmm ok. Hurry back.” 

“Will do,” Victor promised, then called Makka out of the room. She was a little stiff as she rose, and limped a bit after she jumped off the bed. Her age really seemed to be catching up with her over the past few months, or at least her arthritis. Yuuri heard Makka’s tail thumping against the wall, then the sound of the door opening and closing. 

Yuuri rolled back onto his back, looking up at the ceiling. He smiled. The past year had gone by so fast, but at the same time, it felt like he and Victor had always been together. Shockingly, Victor didn’t plan anything huge for their 1 year anniversary. He admitted that he just wanted to spend the day with Yuuri, regardless of what they did. The admission had warmed Yuuri’s heart. Neither of them had been able to take time off of work, since Yuuri had a big project and Victor was still dealing with the extra dogs being boarded by the summer vacation crowd, so it worked out that they hadn’t made any big plans. 

They had agreed to just spend the evening relaxing together, and made more exciting plans for the weekend. Victor had booked them a couple’s massage, as well as dinner at a fancy restaurant that they’d been wanting to try. Tonight, however, they decided they would just order takeout and spend the evening wrapped up in each other’s arms. Yuuri was just as excited for that as he was for the weekend. 

Deciding he had been in bed long enough, Yuuri got up, brushing his teeth and running a comb through his hair so he would be at least mildly presentable for his boyfriend. Not that Victor hadn’t seen him disheveled by sleep hundreds of times now, but he still hated kissing Victor with morning breath. 

Once he felt a little more put together, Yuuri padded down the hall and into the kitchen, turning on the electric kettle. He stretched and yawned, pulling out bacon, eggs, and fresh fruit. It was far earlier than he normally would get up, the sun just barely peeking over the horizon, but it was worth it to spend the morning with Victor. 

The door opened, and Victor and Makka stepped inside. Victor unhooked Makka’s leash, and she trotted over to Yuuri for her morning pets. He happily obliged, then poured her kibble, placing the treat on top like Victor always did. 

Victor stopped briefly to kiss Yuuri on the cheek, then disappeared down the hall for a few minutes. When he returned, he smelled minty fresh, and his hair was brushed into place. Apparently, he had the same idea as Yuuri. 

“Makka’s been having trouble with the stairs lately,” Victor said sadly. “I made an appointment for her while we were out.”

Yuuri hummed in agreement. “Yeah, I noticed that too.”

Victor looked contemplative as he grabbed the electric kettle and poured the boiling water into their mugs. Yuuri had already picked out their favorite morning black tea. “I was thinking…” he bit his lip nervously.

“Hm?” Yuuri responded curiously. 

“This is just a thought, ok? We don’t have to do it,” Victor said, uncharacteristically nervous. 

Yuuri smiled reassuringly. “Ok. Wanna tell me what you’re thinking?” 

“How would you feel about moving? Into a house?” 

Yuuri looked at Victor curiously. “What brought that idea on?”

“I was just thinking about how hard the stairs have been for Makka. They don’t have an elevator here, and a lot of apartments don’t. It might be easier for her to be at a house with a yard. Plus,” he added, “it seems like a good next step for us, right? I know we both wanted to move to the suburbs at one point.” 

“It would be nice to have more space, and not share a wall with other people.” Yuuri agreed as he scratched Makka’s ears. “And I don’t want her to be uncomfortable. She’s not getting any younger,” Yuuri lamented. 

Victor looked sad for a few moments, but nodded in agreement. “My thoughts exactly. I...I’ve kind of been thinking about it for a while. I’ve even looked at a few places online,” he said sheepishly. “Sorry for springing it on you.” 

Yuuri walked forward so he could cup Victor’s face in his hands. “I love that you’ve been thinking about our future.” He pressed a gentle kiss to Victor’s lips.

“You don’t feel like it’s too fast?” 

Yuuri shook his head. “It doesn’t feel too fast to me.” He stroked Victor’s cheeks with his thumbs. “When I picture my future, I always see you there with me.”

“Me too,” Victor agreed. “I can’t even imagine a future without you.” 

“You’ll never have to,” Yuuri whispered gently, kissing Victor again. “Why don’t we look at the listings you found tonight while we eat takeout?” He suggested.

Victor’s smile morphed into Yuuri’s favorite heart-shaped grin. “That would be lovely!” He placed his hands on Yuuri’s waist, leaning in for another kiss. 

One kiss turned into two, then a series of pecks, then a sweet push and pull. Hands started to wander, and the kiss deepened with nibbles and licks. Victor pressed into Yuuri until his back was against the counter, not breaking the kiss. Yuuri grinned into the kiss. Exactly a year ago, give or take a few hours, their relationship was beginning, just like this. 

Victor pulled back slightly as Yuuri began to giggle. “What’s so funny?”

“It’s just,” Yuuri said lightly, “I realized that this is what we were doing a year ago, the day we got together. I guess we’ve come full circle.” 

Victor huffed out a laugh. “I guess you’re right. Except,” he surprised Yuuri by lifting him onto the counter, slotting between his legs, “I really wanted to do this.” 

Their lips met again, Victor gripping Yuuri’s hips tightly, while Yuuri wrapped his legs around Victor. He briefly broke the kiss to respond, “I really wanted you to do this too.” 

After that, they didn’t talk anymore. Yuuri wasn’t sure exactly how much time they spent lost in each other, but by the time they were able to get themselves into the shower, they were both already late. As much as Yuuri was thinking about the idea of round 2 while they frantically scrubbed themselves, he knew there was no time. They were both rushing around when they got out of the shower, dripping water everywhere and pulling on the first acceptable sets of clothes they could find. 

Fully dressed, they both pat Makka goodbye and rushed down to their cars, only having time for a brief peck on the lips before parting. Yuuri waved out the window as he turned the opposite direction of Victor, and his boyfriend returned the gesture. 

Predictably, the work day dragged on. The only thing keeping him even remotely sane was exchanging sweet texts with Victor throughout the day. They kept sending each other hearts and kissy emojis. Yuuri was cooing and laughing so much that his coworkers kept shooting him dirty looks. 

At lunch, he sent Victor a selfie and a brief text. 

**Yuuri** : I miss you already <3

Victor responded with a picture of him and Makka.

**Victor** : Me too! I wish we could’ve spent the day together D: 

**Yuuri** : So do I. At least we’ll have the weekend.

**Victor** : True! I’m definitely looking forward to that

**Victor** : And I’m also looking forward to curling up on the sofa with you tonight ^_^ it’s been a while since we’ve had a chill night

**Yuuri** : <3

**Victor** : <3 <3

**Yuuri** : <3 <3 <3 

**Victor** : <3 <3 <3 <3 x 1000!

**Yuuri** : Hah, I guess you win. I’d better get back to work. See you at home :D

**Victor** : See you :-*

Yuuri chuckled at his phone, and willed time to move faster so he could get back to Victor. He ended up having to stay later than he wanted to, but promised to make it up to Victor by picking up the food on his way home. 

Once he was back at their apartment, he practically ran up the stairs. He unlocked the door, Makka already waiting to greet him as soon as the door swung open. She started drooling when she noticed the pizza box.

“I’m home!” Yuuri called. “And I brought Buddy’s!” It wasn’t exactly traditional anniversary food, but it was perfect for a night in, which was what they were doing.

Victor looked up from the couch, beaming at Yuuri. “Mmm smells delicious!” He stood up and walked over to Yuuri, pressing a kiss to his cheek. “I’ll grab some plates and napkins.” 

Yuuri brought the pizza to the coffee table in front of the couch, instead of the dining table. It would be easier to look at listings together this way. Victor brought the plates and napkins over, and they dug in. Through mouthfuls of pizza, they looked on real estate sites, bookmarking their favorites for later. Victor insisted on a fenced in yard, while Yuuri really wanted an updated kitchen. A single level was preferred for Makkachin. Victor also wanted a large, extravagant master bed and bath. Yuuri just wanted a separate study where he could work.

They found a few good options, and a few that were so awful that it prompted them to start looking for the worst houses they could possibly find. “Oooh look at this one!” Victor pointed to the screen. “The entire inside and outside is painted this horrible neon green!” 

Yuuri shook his head. “Who ever thought that was a good idea?”

Victor laughed, but was interrupted by Makka’s whines. She stared at them with her big brown puppy eyes, then laid her head on Victor’s thigh. 

“I think Makka wants to go for a walk. Shall we go to the park?” Victor asked.

“Sure,” Yuuri replied. They cleaned up their leftovers, and clipped on Makka’s leash. It was a few blocks to the park, and they walked it hand-in-hand. 

Being a reasonably cool night, the park was fairly busy. People and dogs were running around everywhere, filling the evening air with the sounds of laughter and barking. Makka strained at her leash, trying to get to all the potential new friends.

“You know,” Yuuri chuckled, “for a dog trainer, your dog sure can be naughty.” He ruffled Makka’s fur affectionately as she yipped excitedly at a pair of bikers that went by.

Victor laughed in response. “I just let her get away with things because she’s old. Believe it or not, but she was much better behaved when she was younger.”

“So you’re a softie then?” Yuuri teased.    
  
Victor grinned. “When it comes to my dog, most definitely. And,” he added, “when it comes to you.” He leaned over and kissed Yuuri’s cheek.

“That is true,” Yuuri agreed with a laugh. “You are kind of a sap,” he said affectionately. 

“But I’m  _ your _ sap!” Victor announced cheerfully.

Yuuri tugged on Victor’s hand, pulling him so they were chest to chest. “You are.” He leaned in so he could kiss Victor. 

Their fingers intertwined, Makka’s leash held between them. It wasn’t anything scandalous, just a series of brief kisses, but both of them were grinning like idiots by the time they separated. They rested their foreheads together, smiling and enjoying the closeness. 

“Happy anniversary,” Yuuri whispered for the umpteenth time that day. “I love you.” 

“I love you too,” Victor responded. Then, he pulled back and peppered Yuuri’s face with kisses.

“Victor!” Yuuri laughed, as Victor grabbed him and held on tightly so he could keep kissing Yuuri’s face. “That tickles!” 

“Oh, does it?” He asked mischievously, before diving in and prodding Yuuri’s sides. 

Yuuri laughed and squirmed, trying to fend Victor off. He only succeeded in getting Makka excited, and the poodle jumped up on them, knocking them off balance and into the dirt. Yuuri took the opportunity to get his revenge, immediately rolling toward Victor to poke at his ticklish spots. 

Victor restarted his own assault on Yuuri’s sides and abdomen, laughing wildly as they rolled around on the ground. Makka barked and jumped around them, trying to get in on the game. Eventually, Yuuri couldn’t take it anymore. “Ok, I give in!” he said breathlessly. 

Looking smug, Victor gave Yuuri one last kiss on the tip of his nose, before flopping onto his back, catching his breath. Yuuri did the same, the last of his giggles subsiding. “You,” Yuuri said between breaths, “are the biggest dork. I am so going to get you later.” 

Victor grinned. “Are you now?” He scooted closer and rolled onto his side so their faces were inches apart. “I’d like to see you try.” 

Yuuri licked his lips and turned his head toward Victor, sensing the innuendo in his voice. “You won’t be so smug when I’m done with you,” he purred. He watched Victor’s pupils dilate.

“Hmm then I guess we’d better get home so we can settle this,” Victor whispered seductively. Yuuri grinned in agreement.

They both stood up, dusting themselves off, and Yuuri pulled a twig out of Victor’s hair. When Yuuri stood on his tiptoes to grab it, Victor took advantage of his close proximity to kiss him deeply, his hand low on Yuuri’s back. Yuuri melted into the kiss, wrapping his arms around Victor. 

Neither of them wanted to pull back, but it was better than getting arrested in a park for public indecency. As they separated, they maintained eye contact, and Yuuri could practically see Victor’s eyes smoldering. 

“Let’s go home,” Yuuri finally said.

Victor smiled in return, and they turned toward home. Makka, however, had other ideas. She was rooted in the spot, whining and staring at something. Or rather, someone. They both turned to see what Makka’s attention was on, and Yuuri gasped.

Standing down the walking path and staring at them with an unreadable expression, was Yuuri’s ex-wife. Victor immediately tensed, his jaw clenching. He glanced at Yuuri out of the corner of his eye, but Yuuri wasn’t really reacting. This was the first time he’d seen Anna since he moved his stuff out of their apartment, and he wasn’t really sure what to think, or feel.

As he was contemplating just walking away, she approached them, looking unsure. Yuuri gulped, and Victor grabbed his hand, giving it a squeeze. Yuuri got the message. Victor was letting him take the lead. 

“Hi,” she said as she approached. 

“Uh, hey,” Yuuri responded, and Victor nodded curtly. 

Anna glanced between Yuuri and Victor, opening her mouth a few times like she wanted to say something. Yuuri wasn’t really sure if he wanted to hear it, but he couldn’t help but feel curious about what she could possibly have to say to him a year after their breakup. 

He looked at Victor, whose lips were pressed into a thin line. Yuuri made up his mind. “Victor, would it be ok if I meet you at home?” 

Victor looked at him with a surprised expression. “Are you sure?” 

Yuuri nodded. “Yeah.” Anna clearly had something she wanted to say, and as much as he knew Victor would have his back, he kind of wanted to process it himself first. He hoped Victor would understand. 

Although he looked a little unsure, and obviously surprised, Victor agreed. “Alright. Call me if you want me to come get you,” he offered. 

Yuuri smiled gratefully then pressed a kiss onto Victor’s cheek. “Thanks. I won’t be long.” 

Victor nodded, sending one last wary look in Anna’s direction, before leading Makka back home. The poodle protested initially to leaving one of her humans behind, but Yuuri could see her calming down as they turned out of the park.

Yuuri turned back to Anna, raising an eyebrow. She gestured to the path, and started walking. Yuuri followed her, feeling awkward no matter what distance he was from her. She wasn’t saying anything, and Yuuri was about to just turn around and leave, when she cleared her throat and finally spoke.

“You look good,” she said awkwardly. 

“Uhh, thanks,” he responded, not quite sure what else to say. What was he supposed to do, tell her she looked good too? She honestly looked the same.

“So...you and Victor. You’re still together,” she stated in a weird, flat tone.

“Yeah. We are. Together.” Yuuri winced at the awkwardness. “Are you and Sebastian…?”

She frowned. “No. It, uh, didn’t work out.” 

“Oh.” 

“Yeah. I uh, caught him with someone else. Er,  _ someones _ .” 

“Hm.” The petty part of him was extremely satisfied with that bit of knowledge. 

“You live near here?” she questioned, clearly trying to change the subject.

“Yeah.” 

She waited for him to say something else, looking disappointed when he didn’t elaborate. “So...how’s work?”

Yuuri stopped walking, giving her a look. “What do you want? Did you really just walk over here to chat?” 

Anna flinched at his directness. “Maybe a bit. I wasn’t exactly expecting to see you.” 

Yuuri laughed dryly. “Yeah, can’t say I was expecting to see you either.” 

The silence stretched on for a full minute, heavy between them. Then, Anna whispered, “You look happy. With him.” 

“I am,” Yuuri replied genuinely.

“I was trying to remember if I ever made you smile like that.”

Yuuri shook his head. “You didn’t.” It was the truth. Even at their happiest, Yuuri had never had the same feelings for Anna that he did for Victor. Looking back on their relationship now, it was like that entire 5 years of marriage was a dim light, whereas being with Victor felt like the sun. 

“So...you finally made it to Sleeping Bear?”

Yuuri gave her a confused look. “Yeah. How did you know about that?”

She looked sheepish. “I, er, saw it on Instagram. I saw all the places you went with him.” Her expression morphed into one of displeasure. “You seemed to move on pretty fast.” 

Yuuri returned her scowl. “Not as fast as you.” He made a mental note to block her on Instagram. Yuuri hadn’t even noticed that Anna still followed him.

That seemed to snap her out of her anger. “For what it’s worth,” she whispered, “I really am sorry. About everything.”

Yuuri looked away from her. “That doesn’t change what happened.” 

“I know,” she sighed. “I just always kick myself for ruining things with you. I wish I could take it back.” 

Yuuri turned back toward Anna, frowning. “You can’t.” 

“I know,” she said again. She looked out across the park, and Yuuri followed her gaze, until his eyes landed on a young couple, laughing and playing with their kids. “Do you think that could’ve been us?”

Yuuri watched the family for a moment, taking in their cheerful expressions. The parents looked at each other, and their children, with so much adoration, it made his heart clench. He immediately thought of Victor. Looking back at Anna, he answered honestly, “No, I don’t think so. Can you honestly tell me you would have stopped cheating when we moved? Or started a family?” 

Anna was silent for a few moments, then replied, “No.” 

“That’s what I thought.” 

She stared at him sadly. “Do you think...we could be friends? I miss having you in my life.” 

Yuuri didn’t hesitate, shaking his head. “I don’t think so. You really hurt me. Not just because you cheated, not just because you lied, but because of your reason why.” He swallowed hard. “I’m still trying to put myself back together after what you did. I don’t know if I’ll ever be able to fill all the cracks.” 

“I’m sorry--”

“Are you?” Yuuri interrupted. “Or are you sorry you got caught? Tell me honestly, you owe me that much.” 

There was a deafening silence, and then Anna said, “I am honestly sorry that I hurt you. I did love you, once. But I…”

“Wouldn’t have stopped if I hadn’t caught you?” Yuuri finished the sentence for her. 

Anna nodded, just a small, subtle movement. 

That was all he needed to hear. Yuuri turned away from Anna, walking away from his ex-wife for the last time. “Take care of yourself,” he said as he passed her.

“You too,” she replied quietly. Yuuri heard her footsteps going in the opposite direction moments later.

There was a sense of closure in Anna’s answers, painful as they’d been. It was hard not to think about what-ifs sometimes. What if he’d never read Anna’s texts to Sebastian? What if he’d agreed to give her a second chance? Hearing her answers tonight, and realizing just how much happier he was with Victor, the last threads of any lingering doubts faded from his mind. 

With a soft smile, Yuuri walked back toward his and Victor’s apartment, where the love of his life was waiting for him. 

\------------------------

“Where’s my grandaughter?” Hiroko asked with a pout, fluffing the cushion on the chair before sitting down.

Yuuri rolled his eyes. “Makka is at work with Victor.” 

“Too bad! I have presents for her,” she said as she adjusted the umbrella to keep them out of the sun. Yuuri was grateful, because it was a hot day and his parents had insisted on sitting outside. 

“I can give them to her,” Yuuri offered.

Hiroko tsked. “Absolutely not. She needs to know they’re from me!” 

Yuuri laughed. “Ok, I’ll let Victor know he needs to bring Makka for a visit.” 

Hiroko looked pleased. “Good. We’re sorry he couldn’t come today.”

“Yeah, he was too. One of their trainers has been sick so he’s pulling double duty, and so is Makka. She’s the demo for everything,” Yuuri explained. 

“Makes sense,” Mari commented. “She’s such a good girl.” 

“I’m not a dog person, but even I like her,” Minako agreed. 

Yuuri smiled. “She is.” Makka was such a good dog, but she was getting so old. Yuuri’s smile faltered. He didn’t want to think about Makkachin aging. As far as Yuuri was concerned, Makka was going to live forever.

Sensing his change in mood, Tohisya asked, “Didn’t you have something you wanted to tell us? I’m guessing you didn’t come here to talk about Makkachin.”

“Uh oh. What’s wrong?” Mari asked warily.

“Nothing’s wrong,” Yuuri insisted. “It’s good news, actually. Sorry, I was just thinking about how old Makka is and it made me a little sad.” 

His mother reached over and patted his hand reassuringly. He smiled gratefully, then glanced around at his family and Minako (who was basically family) that had gathered as soon as he told them he had news. Mari had apparently texted Minako immediately when Yuuri said they were coming over. He shouldn’t be surprised, Minako wasn’t happy about being out of the loop about Yuuri’s divorce. She had apparently been upset about finding out second hand. 

The original plan was for Yuuri and Victor to tell them their news together, but Victor had gotten held up at work. “Victor and I are buying a house together,” he announced. 

Yuuri was a little worried about how his family would react to the news, especially Mari and Minako. They’d expressed concern since the beginning of his and Victor’s relationship that they thought everything was moving too fast between them. Both women had warmed up substantially to Victor, but Yuuri still wasn’t sure what they would think.

To Yuuri’s, delight, they all looked pleased. “That’s wonderful, Yuuri!” His mother said happily. The others had similar words of praise.

“Do you have a place in mind?” Toshiya asked.    
  
“Yeah. We have a couple that we are going to look at this weekend.”

“Congratulations. We’re very happy for you!” Hiroko sighed happily. “My baby boy is so grown up!” 

Yuuri blushed. “Mom!” 

Mari snorted. “I told you.” 

“I guess you were right,” Minako said with a shrug.

Yuuri looked at them curiously. “What are you talking about?”

“Oh, they all thought you were going to tell us that you and Victor were engaged. I told them there was no way, because Victor wouldn’t have been able to keep the announcement off of Instagram,” Mari explained. 

“What?!” Yuuri sputtered. “Why would you think that?” 

“Why wouldn’t we?” Hiroko said honestly. “It’s quite obvious that Victor is here to stay.”

“Plus,” Mari added, “you both got all sappy when Yuuko told us about her cousin’s engagement party a few weeks ago. Clearly you’ve both thought about it, right?” 

Yuuri felt completely flustered. “No! I mean, yes, we’ve talked about it, but we haven’t planned anything!” He and Victor had the marriage conversation fairly early on. Both of them wanted something serious, and wanted to be clear that their relationship was more than just a fling. He knew that both of them were open to the idea, and that both of them didn’t have an expiration date for their relationship, but they hadn’t actually talked about a wedding. 

“Of course you haven’t planned anything,” Hiroko confirmed, “you would never plan a wedding without telling your mother, right?” 

“No, of course not! I would tell you, I promise!” Yuuri insisited. 

Hiroko looked pleased. “Good.” She stood up from her chair. “I’m going to get more appetizers.” Yuuri’s father stood up to help her, following her inside. 

Yuuri sighed, eyeing his sister and Minako warily. “Ok, say whatever it is you want to say.” He knew they would both take advantage of his parents being elsewhere so they could grill him.

Minako shrugged. “I’m just a little surprised, is all.” 

“You were really expecting me to tell you that Victor and I were engaged?”

“Why is that so hard to believe?” Mari asked. “Do you  _ want  _ to spend the rest of your life with him?”

Yuuri didn’t even have to think about it. “Yes. I do.” 

“Then what’s the big deal?” Minako asked. 

With a sigh, Yuuri explained, “Neither of us have a great track record for marriage. And I...I still can’t help but feel like one day he’s going to wake up and wonder what he’s doing with me.” 

Mari raised an eyebrow. “So, you’re scared?” 

“Yeah,” Yuuri admitted. It wasn’t that he didn’t want to marry Victor, it was the thought of what could go wrong that terrified him. 

Minako hummed. “Do you remember the first time you brought Victor over here? Almost a year ago exactly?”    
  


Yuuri nodded. “Yeah, why?”

“Do you also remember how you yelled at me?” She continued.

Yuuri winced. “Yeah, I remember that too.” 

“Don’t look sorry about it, you were right to stand up to me.” Minako grinned. “I was actually pretty proud of you.” 

“Um, thanks?”

She waved a hand. “Anyway, did Victor ever tell you what he said to me?” 

“No. I forgot about that,” Yuuri admitted. 

“He told me that he knew you were meant to be together, and that someday, he was going to marry you.” She chuckled. “It was incredibly cheesy. If I remember correctly, he said you were soulmates.”

Yuuri’s eyes widened. “Victor said that? Back then?”

Minako nodded. “Uh huh. I almost wanted to kick his ass for it, because I was worried he was lying to make everyone like him, but he seemed really genuine.” 

“Why are you telling me this now?”

She shrugged. “It seems like you need to hear it. Look,” Minako continued, “I don’t think that I have to tell you that love isn’t enough to make a marriage work. But, if it helps, I’m pretty sure Victor is just as smitten with you now as he was that day. Probably more.”

“Yeah,” Mari agreed, “it’s disgustingly adorable.” 

Now that the idea of marriage had been brought up, Yuuri couldn’t get it out of his head. He kept picturing Victor in a white suit, Makka wearing a bow tie as the ring bearer, and the triplets as flower girls. It was a very appealing picture, and he wanted it so bad, but the anxious part of his brain was screaming that something would go wrong. 

“I’m scared,” Yuuri whispered. 

Minako reached over and squeezed his shoulder. “I know. You’ve been through a lot.” 

Yuuri couldn’t help but laugh. “A year ago, weren’t you trying to get me to break up with Victor? Now you’re trying to get me to marry him?”

“I’m not trying to get you to do anything,” she countered. “I’m just trying to get you out of your own head.” 

“I meant it when I said we’d all support you no matter what,” Mari stated. “I think you just need to figure out what you want.” 

Yuuri didn’t even need to think about it.  _ I want to be with Victor for the rest of my life. _ He knew what he needed to do. 

Leaping up from the table, Yuuri ran around the house and back to his car, without stopping to say goodbye to his family. He could hear his mother calling him from the window, sounding confused and concerned. “Sorry, mom! I’ll call you later!” he shouted as he unlocked his car. He started the engine, backing out of the driveway and heading back toward the city.

The drive felt like it was taking forever, even though traffic wasn’t bad. Yuuri kept tapping his fingers on the steering wheel and biting his lip, barely keeping himself from speeding. He was trying not to think too hard about what he was doing, because he was afraid he would chicken out. 

Eventually, he arrived at his destination, heart racing with anticipation. Yuuri eyed the store, taking a few deep breaths before turning the engine off and getting out of the car. Gulping, Yuuri approached the door and pushed it open with shaking hands. The door jingled, and a grinning salesperson strolled up to him, immediately extending a hand. 

“Good afternoon, sir! My name is Joelle, how can I help you today?” She was grinning at him, hand still extended. 

He eyed her awkwardly, then reached out to shake her hand when he realized she wasn’t going to back down. “Oh um, thanks.” He pulled his hand back as soon as he could, but she kept staring at him expectantly, eyebrows raised. “Oh! I, uh, want to propose to my boyfriend.” 

Joelle grinned at him with unnaturally white teeth. “How wonderful, congratulations!” She gestured him over to a display case. “We have an exceptional selection of engagement rings for you to choose from.”

Yuuri timidly approached the case, eyeing the shiny gold and sparkling diamonds on display. They were all so extravagant, and so were the price tags. Victor did like expensive things, would he want something like this? Yuuri thought a lot of them were way too gaudy, but maybe Victor would like them.

Joelle seemed to notice his indecision. “If you tell me what you’re looking for, I could help you narrow it down.”   
  
“Uhhh,” Yuuri replied intelligibly.

Ever the professional, Joelle’s smile never faltered. “How about I show you some rings, and you can tell me what you like, or don’t like?”

Yuuri nodded. “That would be great, thank you.”

She pulled out ring after ring, but none of them felt right. Yuuri just couldn’t picture Victor wearing them. Victor might like expensive things, but at his core, he was just a goofball that loved dogs. None of the rings Joelle showed him were suitable for that side of Victor. The rings were too intricate, or too bulky, or just too expensive. Yuuri was starting to think that this was a sign that maybe he shouldn’t propose, when something in the back of the display caught his eye. It was a pair of very simple, but very elegant golden rings. As soon as he saw them, he knew it was perfect.

“Can I see that pair?” He pointed to the rings he’d been eyeing.

Joelle made a face. “Are you sure? We have more...interesting rings than that.”

Yuuri nodded. “I’m sure.”

She reluctantly removed the rings for him to look at. Yuuri eyed the simple design, holding one of the rings up to the light to watch it shimmer. “I’ll take both of them,” he said firmly.

Joelle was making a face like she was very much judging Yuuri’s choice, but her smile remained, and she gestured toward the checkout. Yuuri winced at the price, but produced his credit card without hesitation. Joelle ran the sale, then handed him his card and the rings in a simple velvet box. Yuuri thanked her, and retreated back to his car.

As soon as he got behind the wheel, he panicked. Yuuri turned on the car and threw it into drive, heading in the opposite direction of his apartment. He gripped the wheel tightly, muttering “oh my god oh my god” the whole trip. 

Yuuri pulled into the parking spot, not caring that his car was completely crooked. He rushed out of the car, almost tripping on his way out, then sprinted into the apartment building and up the stairs. Chest heaving from panic and exertion, Yuuri pounded on the door in front of him. Phichit answered shortly after, a confused expression on his face. 

“Yuuri? Are you ok?” He gestured for Yuuri to come inside.

“No!” Yuuri wailed.

“What happened? What’s wrong?” Phichit fussed over him looking him up and down for injuries. 

Yuuri made an inhuman noise, and handed the velvet box to Phichit. Phichit took it, eyeing it curiously, his eyes widening when he opened it. “Uhhh I’m flattered, but I’m just not that into you.”

“Phichit! 

“You scared the shit out of me! I get to tease you!” 

Yuuri groaned. “Sorry, I guess that was a little dramatic.”

Phichit huffed. “More than a little. It’s sexy katsudon all over again!” 

Grabbing the box back from Phichit, Yuuri walked over to the couch and sank down onto the cushions, still taking deep breaths. “I can’t believe you’re still teasing me about that.”

“Oh Yuuri,” Phichit said mischievously, “I will never stop teasing you about that. In fact,” he continued, “I think it would be a great story to tell at your wedding, which you are apparently planning?” He gestured to the velvet box in Yuuri’s hand.

“No. Well, yes. Kind of.” 

Phichit raised an eyebrow. “Ok, I’m going to use my best friend skills to interpret that very articulate sentence. You want to propose to Victor, but you’re freaking out?”

“Yes,” Yuuri squeaked. 

Phichit sighed, and sat down next to him. “Do you want me to reassure you, or shove you out the door and tell you to just do it?”

“Reassure me?” 

Placing a hand on his friend’s shoulder, Phichit said, “It’s understandable that you’re afraid. Do you want to talk about what’s got you so freaked out?”

Yuuri shrugged. “To be honest, I had a good chat with Mari and Minako. I was so sure when I left my parents’ house, but then I bought the rings and...I don’t know.” 

“You’re afraid he’ll say no?”

Yuuri hesitated, but shook his head. “No, that’s not it. I mean, anxious brain is worried about that, but logically I know that we both want to spend the rest of our lives together. Even if he doesn’t want to get married, that’s not going to change.”

“That’s very mature of you,” Phichit complemented. “What is it then?”

“I don’t know how to do it!” Yuuri admitted.

“What?”

“I don’t know how to propose.” 

Phichit gave him a curious look. “You proposed to Anna,” he pointed out. 

“I know, but it’s different. Everything with Victor is different.” He smiled softly. “I just want it to be perfect, and I don’t know how.” 

Phichit hummed thoughtfully. “You could always take him to a fancy restaurant.” 

Yuuri shook his head. “No, that’s how Sebastian proposed to him. I really don’t want to remind him of that.”

Nodding, Phichit suggested, “Ok, what about on the beach? You could take a weekend trip to Lake Michigan.” 

Yuuri considered, but ultimately shook his head. “I don’t think we’ll be able to get the time off work for a while, and I don’t want to wait.” 

“Is there a place around here that is special? Maybe somewhere you had a date?”

The idea came to Yuuri immediately. “Sunset Point! Belle Isle was our first real date, and we ended it by watching the sunset together.”

Phichit gasped in delight. “That’s perfect! Can I make one suggestion, though?” 

“Sure.”

“Let me take pictures? With my nice camera?” Phichit offered. “I can hide behind a tree or something, so Victor won’t see me. I’ve heard from friends that got engaged that they loved having the moment captured.”

“Actually, that sounds perfect. Oh! I should train Makka to bring the box to him!” 

Phichit grinned. “That’s a great idea! And you could put one of her bow ties on!” 

Yuuri nodded excitedly. “That’s perfect!”

Opening his phone, Phichit scrolled for a few moments, before turning the screen toward Yuuri. “The weather is going to be perfect on Saturday. We could do it then.”

“Yeah, let’s do it. Should we have Chris there too? That way we can both celebrate with our best friends?” He threw an arm around Phichit.

“Sure. And he can hold onto Makka so my hands are free to take pictures,” Phichit suggested.

Yuuri smiled, then said, “Thank you. I feel so much better now. But I’m sure I’ll be sending you a few panicked texts throughout the week.”

“I’d expect nothing less,” Phichit replied with a grin.

With the plan in place, Yuuri went home feeling significantly lighter. He greeted Victor enthusiastically, kissing him breathless. Victor was thrilled, but didn’t seem to suspect that anything was up. They went about their normal routines, and Yuuri tried not to let Victor catch him staring and grinning like an idiot.

Yuuri, Phichit, and Chris met up during the week, scoping out spots at Sunset Point. They found the perfect spot. The bench where they had sat together on their first date was bordered by a couple of trees that would make perfect hiding spots for Phichit and Chris. Phichit took a couple of practice shots of Yuuri and Chris, then they traded off and took goofy pictures of Phichit and Yuuri, and Phichit and Chris. 

“These are going in the wedding album, right?” Phichit joked. 

Yuuri laughed. “Of course.” 

They decided to do it right at sunset, so they could get photos of the two of them in the warm glow of the last light of the day. Phichit would have the perfect angle with the sunset and the skyline right behind Yuuri and Victor. All three of them were ready.

The only problem was training Makkachin to carry the ring box. Yuuri assumed training her would be easy, because he saw Victor train her to do things all the time. He was finding that he was very wrong. Makka knew how to carry things, but she was confused about carrying the small, soft box. Victor had only trained her to carry toys around. He vaguely remembered Victor telling him that when it came to training, dogs couldn’t generalize well.

Yuuri was considering just tying the ring box to her collar, when two days before the big day, Makka finally took the ring box from him. She gingerly held the box between her teeth, and Yuuri praised her enthusiastically. Except, he got a little too enthusiastic, and Makka got excited and started running around the room with the box in her mouth.

“Makka! No, give it back!” He lunged for her, which was the wrong move, because Makka got more excited and bounced into a play bow. Then, she wagged her tail and darted out of the room.

Yuuri scrambled after her, chasing her down the hall, into the living room, and skidding to a halt to avoid crashing into Victor. Victor, who was now holding the box, with Makkachin sitting at his feet and wagging her tail. 

Victor opened the velvet box, and Yuuri’s entire world seemed to slow to an unnatural speed. He watched Victor’s eyes widen as he revealed the contents of the box, his jaw dropping and a blush staining his cheeks. 

“I’m so sorry!” Yuuri exclaimed. “This isn’t how it was supposed to be. I had it all planned out, it was going to be perfect and romantic!”

“Yes.” 

“I was gonna take you to Sunset Point, and ask you right as the sun set. The weather is supposed to be gorgeous, and Chris and Phichit were going to bring Makka and then I’d call her over to us and she’d have the box in her mouth…” Yuuri rambled. 

“Yes.” 

“And then Phichit would get the whole thing on camera, and we could look back on it forever and remember how amazing it was! It wasn’t supposed to happen in our living room, while I’m wearing pajamas--”

Victor’s hands gently cradled his cheeks, cutting Yuuri off. “Yes.” 

Yuuri blinked at Victor, processing. “Yes?” 

Victor nodded, then pressed a kiss to Yuuri’s forehead. “Yes, definitely yes.” 

Feeling the tears starting to build in his eyes, Yuuri hugged Victor tightly, sniffling into his shirt. Victor returned the embrace. “I love you so much,” Yuuri whispered.   
  


“I love you too,” Victor replied. 

Yuuri pulled back, wiping the tears from his eyes. “I’m sorry that was such a mess. I really did have everything planned out, it was supposed to be perfect.”

Victor smiled warmly. “It was perfect, because it was you asking.” 

The tears started flowing, and Yuuri noticed that Victor’s expression mirrored his. They were both crying and grinning like a couple of lovesick teenagers. Yuuri gently took the box from Victor. “Let me,” he insisted. 

Yuuri took the first ring out of the box, sliding it over Victor’s finger. Victor’s smile grew impossibly wider, and he gently retrieved the box from Yuuri, offering him the same. Yuuri held his hand out, and Victor slid the ring onto his finger. They both took a moment to appreciate the shimmer of their new rings under the overhead lighting, turning their hands to admire the golden bands. 

Victor reached over, entwining his now ring-clad hand with Yuuri’s. Yuuri sighed happily, then leaned in to kiss his  _ fiance _ for the first time. 

\------------------------

~6 Years Later

The feeling of dread as Yuuri drove to their house was suffocating. He stopped briefly to grab the mail, trying to keep some semblance of normalcy. It was mostly bills and spam, but there was a “save the date” card for Chris’s wedding. Yuuri smiled, but it didn’t reach his eyes. He and Victor were both supposed to be in the wedding party. Victor, of course, was Chris’s Best Man. 

Tossing the mail onto the passenger seat, Yuuri shifted the car into drive and rolled into the driveway. He pressed the button on the garage door opener, and their neighbor waved as he waited to move his car in. Victor’s car was in its usual spot, and Yuuri didn’t know if that made him feel better or worse. He was glad Victor was back, as he was a day later than his expected arrival from his business trip, and Yuuri had started to worry that his husband had been in an accident or something. However, that meant that Yuuri was going to have to have a difficult conversation tonight.

Swallowing hard, Yuuri pulled his car into the garage, parking next to Victor’s. He turned his car off and closed the garage, but didn’t get out. He knew he couldn’t sit here forever, but he didn’t feel ready for the confrontation he knew they needed. Victor had been acting weird for the past few months. Yuuri brushed it off at first, but then Victor started taking “business trips”. He had gone  _ somewhere _ twice, flying once and driving once. When Yuuri asked where he was going, Victor just waved him off and gave him a vague answer. Yuuri was trying to figure out what kind of business trips the owner of a doggy daycare would need to take. 

And then there were the hushed phone conversations. Victor normally took phone calls with Yuuri in the room, unless Yuuri was playing video games, but lately he’d been running out of the room to talk to someone. Yuuri wanted to respect his privacy and not eavesdrop, but he’d accidentally overheard the words “cute” and “meet up” and it had him panicking. 

Yuuri knew he needed to bring it up. He and Victor had promised each other at the beginning of their relationship, and then again on their wedding day, that they would talk to each other when something was bothering them. The secretive behavior was just so unlike Victor, who was normally thrilled to share his life with his husband. It really had Yuuri worried.

Taking a deep breath to calm his nerves, Yuuri finally exited the car, grabbing the mail off the passenger seat. When he entered the house, all the lights were on. Victor’s shoes were thrown haphazardly by the door, and his jacket was in a pile on the floor, like he had been in a hurry when he came in. 

“Victor? I’m home!” he called. Over a year later, and he still almost called out to Makkachin. His heart clenched painfully at the thought of their beloved poodle. Victor had taken her passing so hard, and they just hadn’t felt ready for another dog until recently. 

Yuuri slipped his shoes off and hung his coat on the rack. He organized Victor’s shoes and picked up his coat, brushing it off. A bunch of short, black, curly hairs floated off the coat and on to the ground as he moved it. The hair definitely didn’t belong to either of them. 

Yuuri desperately wanted to believe there was another explanation. He hung up Victor’s coat and tossed the mail on the table, then called out again, “Victor? Where are you?” 

There was a curse, a splash, and some shuffling, then the door to the hallway bathroom flung open. Victor poked his head out, eyes wide, bangs sticking to his face. “Yuuri! You’re home early…” 

Yuuri’s throat felt dry. “Can we talk?” 

“Of course!” Victor promised, but didn’t make a move to open the bathroom door. “Um... could you give me a few minutes? Maybe you want to shower first?” 

The deja vu was too painful, and Yuuri burst into tears. It all felt too much like when he caught Anna and Sebastian. It was even around the same time in their marriage. Maybe Yuuri was doomed to 5 year marriages for the rest of his life. 

“Yuuri? What’s wrong?” Victor’s concerned voice broke through his panic. He finally left the bathroom, pulling the door closed. The door was broken, and neither of them had gotten around to fixing it, so it popped open a few times. Victor finally pulled it shut tight, and seemed satisfied that it would stay closed.

Yuuri got a full view of Victor, and it only made him cry harder. Victor was shirtless, damp with either sweat or bathwater, and had red scratch marks all down his bare chest. He approached Yuuri, opening his arms for a hug, but Yuuri just flinched and pulled away.

“Are you ok? Are you hurt?” Despite everything that was happening, he sounded genuinely worried.

“How can you ask me that?!” Yuuri wailed. 

Victor was about to answer, but a thump on the bathroom door caught their attention. He noticed Yuuri eyeing the door, and rubbed his neck sheepishly. “I guess you caught me. I really didn’t want you to find out this way.”

Yuuri clenched his fists. “I’m sure you didn’t,” he said dryly.

Victor gave him a confused look. “Is it ok?”

“Of course it’s not ok!” 

Victor’s eyes widened in shock. “I’m so sorry! I didn’t know this would upset you so much. I can take her back if you want me to!” 

“Her?!” Yuuri sobbed harder. It was just like his worst nightmares coming true. Victor took another tentative step forward, reaching out again. Yuuri shook his head, wrapping his arms around himself. “How could you do this to me?!” 

“Yuuri, please,” Victor pleaded, “talk to me. I’m so sorry, I didn’t realize you were still so upset about Makkachin! I signed a contract with the breeder, so I can take her back, don’t worry about it.”

Yuuri’s head snapped up. “What?” 

Victor opened his mouth to answer, but the bathroom door flung open. A black ball of fluff charged out the door, and down the hall. Victor lunged to try and capture it, but the fluffball nimbly dodged around him, and barreled into Yuuri. 

Yuuri looked down, his eyes immediately falling on the tiniest, fluffiest poodle puppy he’d ever seen. She was up on her hindlimbs, pawing at Yuuri and yipping at him for attention. He picked her up, and she immediately started licking away the tears on his face and wagging her tail. Yuuri’s sobs faded into sniffles, and then built up into giggles, then full out laughter. He clutched the puppy in his arms, who was sopping wet, laughing so hard that he was crying again.

“Yuuri?” Victor asked timidly.

After a few hiccuping breaths to calm himself, Yuuri looked at Victor through tear filled eyes, and smiled gently. “Oh, Victor. You got us a puppy?” 

Victor nodded slowly. “Yeah...but I thought you already guessed that? What’s going on?” 

The puppy wiggled in Yuuri’s grasp, so he set her down to explore (or destroy) their living room. She took off, bouncing around the room. “I feel like an idiot,” Yuuri admitted.

“Why?” Victor asked, head tilted in confusion.

“Er…” Yuuri winced. “I may have made some assumptions about why you were being so secretive.” He wiped away the last of the tears from his eyes.

Victor looked thoughtful for a few moments, then his eyes widened. “I’m so sorry! I didn’t realize how this would look to you! I didn’t mean to bring up bad memories or make you worry.” He started to open his arms for Yuuri, then hesitated. 

Yuuri closed the gap between them immediately, throwing himself into his husband’s arms. Victor smelled like wet dog, but Yuuri was pretty sure he probably did too because the puppy had dripped water all over his sweater. “I’m sorry for assuming. I should’ve just asked but...I got scared. It felt like everything with Anna all over again, and I didn’t want to believe you would do that.” 

Victor hugged him tighter. “I would never do that to you.” Even though he was reassuring Yuuri, he sounded upset. 

“I know,” Yuuri relented. “Logically, I do. It just felt so similar. The phone calls, the sneaking around, the odd behavior. I got spooked.”

“I wish you would have talked to me,” Victor admitted. “I had no idea you were so concerned.”

Yuuri sighed. “I know, I’m sorry.”

“I’m sorry too. I didn’t mean to make you worry.”

“You didn’t do anything wrong,” Yuuri assured him, kissing his cheek to prove that he meant it. Victor immediately relaxed in his arms. “I should have talked to you instead of letting my imagination run wild.”

“It’s alright. I love you,” Victor murmured. 

“I love you too,” Yuuri replied. He stepped back from Victor, turning to watch their new puppy make a mess of their living room.

“Oh!” Victor said suddenly beside him, rushing back into the bathroom and returning with an armful of toys. He squeaked a tennis ball, which got the puppy’s attention, then dropped them all on the ground for her. She immediately pounced on them, bouncing from toy to toy.

“I thought you said the breeder didn’t have any litters this year?” Yuuri asked.

Victor shrugged. “I lied. I wanted to surprise you.”

With a laugh, Yuuri replied, “Well, I think you succeeded in that. Is she related to Makka?”

Victor nodded. “Yes. Her grandfather was Makka’s littermate. I made sure.” 

“So the ‘business’ trips…?”

“First one was to meet the puppies when they were around 5 weeks old.” He pulled out his phone, opening up his photo album. Yuuri cooed at the pictures. The first one was a selfie of Victor, being mobbed by a litter of poodle puppies. “The breeder had a little party so we could all meet the pups we were bringing home, and so they could get some socialization. It was a lot of fun! I almost ruined the surprise just so you could come too.” He scrolled through a few more pictures, each containing more adorable puppies.

“And this last trip was to bring her home?” Yuuri questioned. 

“Yes,” Victor confirmed. “She was supposed to greet you at the door when you came home, but she had an accident in the car and made a mess. I was just bathing her to clean her up.” He pouted. “I was going to put a bow tie on her and everything!” 

Yuuri chuckled. “I think it’s safe to say things didn’t quite go as planned.” 

“Not quite,” Victor agreed, wrapping an arm around Yuuri’s waist.

They both stood there for a few moments, watching the puppy tear up a stuffed skunk toy. “Did you already get supplies?” Yuuri asked. 

Victor nodded. “Mhm. It’s all in my car. It was also supposed to be set up before you got home.” 

Yuuri shrugged. “Well, now we can work together to get everything set up for her.”

Victor smiled. “That does sound like a good idea.” 

Yuuri leaned into his husband. “We’re gonna have to think of a name.” 

Victor hummed in contemplation. “Katsudon!” 

Groaning, Yuuri replied, “We can’t name our puppy Katsudon!”

“Why not? It’s cute!” 

“It’s weird!”

“Ok,” Victor relented, “a different food then. What about Blini, or Ramen?”

“Why does it have to be food related?” Yuuri asked in exasperation. 

“Why not?” Victor replied with a shrug. “Food names are the best!” 

Yuuri shook his head, rolling his eyes fondly. His husband could be such a goof sometimes.  _ But he’s my goof _ . The thought made Yuuri chuckle, and he stretched up onto his tiptoes to place a kiss on Victor’s cheek. 

Victor happily accepted the kiss, but gave him a curious look. “What was that about?”

“Nothing,” Yuuri said contentedly, “I just love you a lot.”

Victor grinned, a beautiful blush dusting the bridge of his nose. “Yuuuuri! You’re so sweet!” He wrapped Yuuri back into a hug, lifting him off the ground and spinning him around a few times. They both laughed when the puppy yipped excitedly and rushed over, eager to be part of the fun. Victor picked her up, immediately being assaulted by a pink puppy tongue. 

Yuuri laughed, looking at his little family with a rush of warmth and affection. He wasn’t sure how he got so lucky.

END

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry, I'm terrible! Had to give you all one last scare before the happy ending ;) 
> 
> I can't believe it's done!!! Thank you all so much for your wonderful comments and support, it means so much to me! Seeing your comments always made me smile and definitely encouraged me to keep writing. When I first started writing a few months ago, I was terrified of people reading my work, so I never imagined I'd have a fic that so many people would see and say such wonderful things about! 
> 
> I have a few things I'm working on! My fic for the Victuuri Summer Loving event will be posted next weekend and I'm really excited about it! It's a oneshot but I miiiiiight have gotten a little carried away with the length. I'm also about 30k into a mystery/suspense fic where Victor is abducted in Sochi and the Yu(u)ris team up to find out what happened to him. It's darker than anything I've written before but I'm trying to keep it more suspenseful than graphic (like a 6.5/10 on the dark scale I think) cuz I'm a weenie so if you like that sort of thing, keep an eye out for it! Then I'll probably do some fluff after that cuz writing this much mortal peril is kind of exhausting! I'm not sure when that will be done because I've started to have to really buckle down and study for my licensing exam in a few months. I'm hoping I'll have it done before then though! Annnnnnd at some point I'll finish Discourse. I've written some of the last chapter but I've been struggling with inspiration on that one.

**Author's Note:**

> I hope you enjoyed, I'd love to hear from you! This is really different from anything I've written, so I hope you're all liking it.


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